The Keepers
by Gelphius
Summary: AU. Time travelling Gelphie. Oz is taken over by Animal rebellion, civil war kills the Witch's love, and Oz is upturned. To bring back happiness, she uses the forbidden spell of the Grimmerie, calling upon the ancient Gods. Can history be rewritten? "Nothing is as it seems" (R&R please!) –editor acquired, so early chaps (3-11), which are rough, will be better in the near future.
1. Chapter 1: Rise of the witch

**#Note - Wicked is not mine. I'm just an ordinary people who fell in love with it.**

**# Thanks to my editor and partner, Sara, who's so kind and help me create this story. #**

****English is not my first language, but my editor is with me now. Thus, I hope you enjoy this story and share your comments both in PM and review.****

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Chapter 1: Rise of the witch

Oz, the wonderful land once filled with diversity, is now under the dark hoof. Actually, it is not only under the hoof, but also paws great and small, and colorful feather wings. Plain houses and orchards can now be seen numerously in the so-called Emerald city. The bright skyscrapers and luxury boutiques are long abandoned for nearly two decades. The Animals love to live in this organic green environment, covering the green brick of old. Some of the old city still stands, but most of it left in ash or ruins filled with weed, swamp, and tree. The ruins of the once glorious buildings are the evidence of hate, which came from the greatest civil war Oz ever had. Ozians grabbed their weapons, and Animals sharpen their claws. Orange flame swallowed brick, love, and soul. Who would have imagined that the wonderful wizard of Oz and his press secretary are thrown down by an old goat's cunning plan.

_The change of heritage, the reign of those once in the cages_

In the great throne room, the aged ruler of Oz sits with the roll of paper in his hoof. His glasses nearly slip down from his nose, soft brown eyes scanning the neat script. A sturdy tigress with tan and black strips along her body stands calmly in front of an elegant bench. It is not the large green and gold throne anymore. The new ruler of Oz threw that sinful thing into the angered inferno the day he took the former rulers breath away. The huge crafted wood bench matching with its large desk was placed at the end of the crimson carpet instead. Commander Becka waits for her Wisest to finish whatever he is doing before giving any report. She knows too well that to interrupt him is not an option, no matter how urgent the matter is.

"What brings you up here so early Becka? I thought you are still in the middle of '_no fail __mission_'." the new ruler asked sarcaticlly, eyes glued to the paper.

"In fact, I still am on the mission, your Wisest; the witch just transported me and my unit to the palace's dungeon a short time ago." Commander Becka answered in seriousness.

"You found her already? Tell me everything"

"It took ten days walking from the outer side of the Gillikin forest until we found her refuge. It is a small cottage surely chanted with a magic shield. We passed that area before, but have never saw a glimpse of it. No doubt that the witch intended to reveal herself. I sent Tith, my personal mounted scout to give you a report, but not long after that we were attacked. My entire unit lost all the power of speech, except me."

"How dare she! Can't you do anything at all, not a bit?" the ruler shouted, his voice echoed around an otherwise empty enormous hall.

"She is stronger, your Wisest. Her magic reaches the point beyond our knowledge or prediction. None of our weapons can harm her, and her eyes cloud with darkness. I do believe she accomplished those forbidden spells you are so worried about."

"What convinces you to believe?" the ruler presses, his brow furrows.

"The spell book, the Grimmerie, turned into dust in her hands, your Wisest" Becka said.

This news shocks the old goat beyond any description. His jaw drops and words stick in his throat. He heard something quite similar to this before, something like both instruction and prophecy. His brilliant green student once told him, and he remembered it so well.

"_Only the one who masters the forbidden spells can erase the existence of this mysterious book"_

Does turning the whole thick book into dust mean the same or not? He could not place it, but it is enough for him to realize that something big is going to happen. The witch is coming back, and it looks like much darker than ever. Though the witch is no longer a part of Ozians resistance, and has not been for about thirteen years, it does not mean that she quit the cause. Her disappearance, actually, is what disturbs all Animal the most, especially him. He knows why she waited for so long. She waits for her vengeance, to make the ruler of this new Animals era pay for ripping her love away. _Traitor and Murderer, _yes, he becomes like those Ozians who exploit from animal and Animal. To fight fire with fire is the only way.

The Wisest of Animals in the land must have been lost in his thought for so long that Commander Becka felt the need to drag him back to reality with a loud noise. Her business is not done; the worst part of facing their enemy has not come out from her mouth yet.

"There is more I have to inform your Wisest. The witch spared my ability to speak for a reason. She sent me and my unit back just to bring you a short message, as a greeting for a 'long time no see' professor." Becka said dejectedly.

A shiver runs up the ex-professor of Shiz's spine. He is not afraid of any threat from the witch, but he cannot deny that the once innocent girl could be changed into a very dangerous woman.

"What is it then?" the ruler asked, wishing to know this challenge

"_The story will be rewritten. Try to keep your smile, for the new history is mine"_


	2. Chapter 2: Summoning the God

**#Note Wicked's not mine**

***Thanks to my editor Sara! Hope you enjoy the story***

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Chapter 2: Summoning the God

The figure, clad in a black cloak and dark gray boot, stands stiffly on the path leading to Crage hall. Dear old Shiz now becomes even more…ancient, it's ironic really, the decay so bad that it could frigidly be called 'dear primeval Shiz'. The witch decides to walk along a familiar path until she reaches her destination, instead of transporting there with a lighting spell. After the attack at her little place in the Gillikin forest, she sent a magic letter to inform her dear friend about visiting. Surely, her old friend will wait for her arrival. She looks around, and some faded memories begin to resurface. This path she used to stroll down as a schoolgirl is now nothing but a cold flat stone occupied by dull moss. The full moon bided its farewell many nights ago, so tonight is dark enough for some lost student to return. Moving slowly, she unlocks the gate by murmuring and enchantment and paces deeper until she is in the middle of the open ground of Crage Hall. Silence is all around, a silence that continues for several minutes before the soft flapping sound can be heard, and a rough furred hand touching gently on her right arm.

The witch turns her glance down to meet the light brown teary eyes staring directly at hers. Her winged friend looks like he is going to say something, but still nothing comes out. The witch too wants to speak out, some interaction, but her years of solitude somehow blocks the ease of relation with other livings. Finally, she raises her hand rubbing his pale cheek, and speaks in a whispered weak sound.

"Hello…Chistery"

"Hello to you too dear, you finally come out. I thought you would forever live in that scary forest!" Chistery said

"Drop that thought from long ago dear Chisty, I found a better way to live in this partial world. Well, which is soon to be a better place by my power" the witch raised her point.

"Your power? You mean you already have that spell? But what about the consequences! You can't perform that spell to change things." Chistery asked with heavy unbelief in his voice.

"I must…I have to do it. Now everything will be fixed, and we will get her back and the civilized land too. Chisty, I know this new Oz is every Animals' paradise, but killing the innocent human being to remain so is not acceptable. It's not about the foolish idea that only mankind or only Animal should rule the land of Oz. It's about equality, and I'm going to change it from the foundation" The witch pointed

The winged monkey couldn't say any more words. What his friend said is true. It's not about 'who'; it's about living. The past is so bitter for both races, especially for his two best friends. One is gone and one still lives in an attempt to set things right. He himself doesn't agree with what Oz has become either, but what can he do? What's done is done. No power, not for him – clearly the woman next to him is opposite, and he accepts whatever his friend brings herself into. Only that he can't let her go that easily, at least without some company in this suicide journey.

"I will go with you" Chistery said with determination.

The witch is a little taken aback by this request. She knows so well why Chistery wants to go with her. He made a promise many years ago, to the girl who changed his life – a promise that he will look after the other as best as he could. All these past years Chistery kept his word very well. He spreads rumors about unknown disease and death in the Gillikin forest to keep out any living from her land, and flies secretly above the forest every fortnight to spy her on well-being. Her concealing spell works perfectly, of course, but he still is paranoid every so often, especially when the Wisest's troop doubles (triples actually) their effort to locate her hiding place. The witch doesn't answer her friend right away because of what she's doing on the ground. It's midnight now, and it's time to start living again. She pushes Chistery out of the area of the square she wrote in complicated symbols with her invisible marker. Standing in the middle of it she begins to chant the forbidden spell. A smooth yellow light lines the symbol square on the floor, and the ancient syllables glow brighter, light twirls around the witch slowly. _She has passed the point of no return._Her chanting becomes faster and faster as the strange syllables swirl faster and faster around her. When she finishes her chant, the brightest gold ray flashes sharply in to the night and dissipates at once. Chistery lets down his wings that shielded his eyes from the sudden light. The sight before him makes him confused and amazed in the same time. Before the witch is a woman with soft features, different shades of gray color her long hair, and crystal gray eyes hold an imprudent all-knowing look. The grace of wisdom and knowledge can be felt just from her attitude and the brown hermit robe on her body. The witch observes the newcomer thoughtfully, but before she could mutter any word, the grey-eyed woman speaks in an angelic small voice.

"_Good witching hour my master…Hora, the time keeper, is here to grant your destiny trip."_


	3. Chapter 3: The cost of second chance

**Note#**** Hope you enjoy and pls leave any comment. I'll be extremely happy to receive your opinion. Wicked is not mine – I'm just one of the admirers.**

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Chapter 3: The cost of second chance

_"Good midnight time my master…Hora, the time keeper, is here to grant your destiny trip."_

The long stunted silence echoes around the three of them. This scene is quite familiar in the old bed time story of Oz, kind of wonderful magic Genie pops out of the lamp and speaks about wishes. The witch knows about her summoning someone who has the ability to mess with time, not expecting _the time keeper _itself, the out of date outfit, and the respectful call as _my master. _She expects something like the witch or wizard's ancestor spirit with a faded appearance. Obviously, she's wrong; this figure is much more powerful than that, and the word _keeper _seems to voice its implication. That makes sense anyway – or else it's not forbidden. The witch turns her head to Chistery and touches her point finger softly to her lips. Whatever happens must not associate with her winged friend. Turning back to the keeper, the witch bows her head in honor and speaks gently.

"Please forgive for my delayed greeting; I do aware of your existence, just that this meeting is a little off from my speculation."

"Oh no no no…please don't bow to me my master. I call you _my master_ – that should mean something!" the time keeper responded friendly and laughed just a little.

"That's the majority of this confusifying, I must say. Every single soul is in the grasp of an unstoppable _time_" the witch said

"A wise thing to say, but One who can make _time _answer their deepest wish deserves a gold privilege for sure, _my master" _the time keeper emphasized

"At what cost, I may ask."

"Depends on many circumstances like duration, purpose, effect, or destiny - for my master's case, depends on the result of someone else's decision, whether to be with or to be without. Anyway, the cost will still be the same, just soon or later" the time keeper answered

"That seems…complicated, you said 'to be with or without', with or without what?"

"You, my master…with or without 'You', that's all I can say; only _time_ itself can tell, not the _keeper_ like advice is that happily ever after only exists in tales, but there's happiness anyway no matter how long it last, just _appreciate_ it, my master"

The witch freezes in the spot, all in riddle, which she wants to know its answer, but it doesn't matter right now. Nothing's matter compare with what Oz has become. She comes so far to risk for the new beginning. It's better than do nothing and let the past sleeps untouchably. She will understand this cost someday when it's time.

_What's best in the present is to change the past…_

"I will keep that in mind…Miss Hora"

"It's Mrs. actually, but Hora will be fine, my master." the time keeper mends mindlessly. The witch eyes wide up a bit. The time keeper is married, interesting, she'll keep that information in case she needs some chit chat to create friendship. She's quite confident that she has to sting with Hora for a good time being.

"You're correct, my master. I will be with you for a long time, at least until the end of our arrangement and receives the price you have to pay, but I prefer talking about arts, history or something more unique rather than how often I'm occupied on my marriage bed." Hora said with mocking tone.

The witch jerks her head back from Chistery's direction. She's going to say a few words to him before her departure. Hora's blurted out catches her attention and makes her blush under the black cloak.

"I'm sorry for speaking that up, my master. I just mean to light the mood up a bit; I don't want to read your mind though, it's just more to know about my master. Hope you don't take it seriously. Hora apologized in slow movement

_The time keeper is the mind reader. _The witch collects that in her checked box.

She turns to Chistery again and sees how worry he is. He didn't say any word as he was told, but he seems very uncomfortable to this situation.

"Chisty…It will be alright. Don't make that face please."

"You can't go. You don't even know what all of this lead. You…what if you fail? What if you can't change it and never return!"

"Chisty…I will never return though I succeed. I'm going to _relive_ my life, not bringing this aged body back and trying to change the past as an outsider."

"You can do that? But…doesn't that mean you cheat on nature?"

"I already have by summoning her, Chisty" She glanced at Hora and continued

"There's a reason _time _gives me a second chance. Should I waste it Chisty or should I accept it for Ozians, for me to meet her again? The answer is simply my dear. Thank you for these eighteen years." She kisses the top of the winged monkey and hugs him tightly.

"Thank you for saving me back then too…tell her I love her, would you? I…I don't think I can in this lifetime." The winged monkey asked, tear ran down his cheek. The witch nods her head and wipes her own tear. Walking toward Hora, she lifts both of her hands and looks directly to Hora as a sign. Hora takes both of her hands in her palm and thinks of something for a moment then asks

"Does three months before the Emerald city's trip is enough, my master? I think it's suitable, and there'll be time for you to adapt yourself in your younger life, which I believe you must forget most of it already. The ground in front of the main hall is where we stand, just like it'll be when we go back." Hora explained

"Three months is enough Hora, so let's start." The witch said

Hora smiles knowingly. She wishes to bring her master back to begin with the first day at Shiz, for she deserves some more moment with her roommate, but the cost will be too high, and there'll be no chance for her to flip the helper card in the end. The witch turns to look at her winged friend for the last time. The monkey doesn't see his friend face due to the shadow of the hood, but he knows she's smiling at him. He waves his hand just a little before the bright yellow light gleams up again and blinds his vision for a while. He wants to watch his friend as long as he could. Now, silence and darkness fill the air just like the beginning of the night. Chistery lets himself think about his two best friends for a while standing soundlessly in the territory of Crage Hall. There's larger hole in his heart, for now no one left for him to fill it; before the world around him seems to fade away changing into a blur vision, he whispers the last few words in the night.

"Goodbye Elphaba…Glinda…"

The world fades away into emptiness, no lives, no places, no past, present, and future. Everything is nothing, for the forbidden spell erases its existence and revives the past waiting for the witch to fill in. Only _time_ will tell that the privileged witch rewrites the same one or draws the new one.

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***Watch out! Gelphie is coming! And the fun begins in the next chapter. Please leave a review. Feedback is what every writer crave for, thanks for reading ^-^***


	4. Chapter 4: Room 22

**Note# Wicked is not mine, and I hope you guys enjoy my story. Pls R&amp;R, thanks for reading**

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Chapter 4: Room 22

The bright light flashed behind her eyelids, and the first thing she felt is that her boot and cloak was gone, now shorter and lighter. There was the sound of cricket and burning wood from torches not far away. The flesh green and after rain soil smell touched her nose; humidity filled the chilled weather. The witch dared not to open her eyes. Her heart danced like fire, and sweat started to moist her palms. She was here at last, but she couldn't move a single limb, not even her eyelids, not until Hora spoke out beside her.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, my master. No Animal, no death, no wicked witch, just a college girl readied to go to sleep." With that encouragement, she opened her eyes. The gate to Crage Hall main chamber placed in front of her with an orange fire flicked in the torches. Crystal gray eyes looked at her with a tiny smile. The gray woman bowed her head a little and pointed to the entrance.

"I assumed that your room is on the second floor, number twenty-two, if I remembered correctly. I'll lead the way, my master. Guess you need a little…understanding guide here." Hora said in a playful voice.

The witch nodded slowly and followed the time keeper in shaky legs. This warmness, this place, felt familiar, yet strange at the same time. It was long, so long to be in the place she once be a part of. She looked down at her hands, legs, arms, and every part of her younger version. What a creepy feelings to see and witness her youth again. They walked up the stair, slowly along the second floor, and stopped when the door knob of room twenty-two was in their reach. The witch clutched the knob in her hand, hesitated. So much emotion attacked her; what if she met her and lost her in the end 'again'…what if she failed and Oz crumpled down. Series of what if clouded her mind, and its uncertainty nearly made her let go and turn away.

"There'll be time to concern about your mission later, master, now, at least just for this night, fulfilled your empty heart. Hora said in a soothing tone catching her master's shoulder gently. "I'll come back to you when time is right. For now my part was over; we'll see each other again when you had to move, until then, enjoyed some short peace, my master." And with a little winked, Hora was gone as if she was an illusion.

"Alright…here we go…" the witch held her breath and entered the dark room. Her throat dried. Her body shivered with cold and excitement. This younger cloth was thinner than she'd ever noticed. Then, another feeling hit her - the stronger one; tear ran down her cheek slowly. Reunion with the love of her life again with this mess, was unexpected; again, nothing reached her expectation as always. Her thought was cut by a sudden light on the candle from the far side of the room. There she sat, with a shabby book on her lap and a serious face. The soft flame highlighted her deep brown eyes and glowed her emerald skin. Raven long hair loosely flamed her sharp feature. Breath taking looked she longed to admire for all her lonely life. Elphaba Thropp the third descending, green bean of Shiz University was revived. The green girl looked at her with a piercing glare.

"Where – have – you – been?

_Silence _

"Where - have - you - been? Miss Glinda Uplands…Didn't you see it half pass midnight by now? Cleaned a mess from your magic blown up won't take this late." Elphaba said in hard voice.

_Silence screamed louder._

"Where – have – you – been?" Elphaba pressed again when Glinda didn't slip out any sound. She understood that her roommate loved social gathering and often came back late, but that was long time ago. She didn't come home late for many months. The green girl felt that something was wrong, so she flicked her hand to another candle beside Glinda's bed, lit it up. She found her roommate stared back with tear streamed down her face and a looked of permanent sorrow and heart broken. The look she's never seen before, and it shattered her heart in million pieces. The green girl shot up from her favorite reading spot, took a long stride, and grabbed the shaking blonde in her arms.

"Glin…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so hard, just worried that's all. What happened?"

Elphaba tighten her hold and softly stroked her friend's hair.

"Oh…Lurline, E..El..Elphie…" Glinda let the name slip out for the first time in eighteen years, and it ripped her heart. She held the green girl like her life depended on it. For her, there might not be tomorrow. Elphaba didn't say anymore word; shocked, she was and greatly confused. The petite blonde didn't move or said anything, only cried her heart out – cried for everything in her shattered life, for able to be in Elphaba's arms again, for the upcoming future, so the green girl smoothly swayed Glinda in silence hoping that tomorrow the sun will shine for her best friend.

The sun light peeked out from the small gap of curtain disturbing the blonde's rest. Glinda started to squirm and used her hand to block the light moaning in exhaustion. The light immediately darkened away by the green girl's flicked wrist at the curtain. Glinda flipped to the other side lazily and curled herself in Elphaba's chest. Last night incident ended up as Glinda's cried to her sleep on the over pink bed with Elphaba hummed softly next to her. The green girl didn't sleep at all. Glinda's reaction was worried her so much that she decided to watch the blonde sleep instead. Something happened, and it was not a thing, but many things. That sorrowed blue eyes haunted her.

"Elphaba?...Elphie, is that you? Glinda sleeping form asked confusingly.

"Hmm…Yes, Glin. Who else did you allow to sleep with you like this?"

"You mean green thing…it's really you. It's you." Glinda slowly cupped her cheek and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Did you hit your head last night? You seemed off the world Glin!" Elphaba chuckled, smiled lovingly at the blonde.

"It's a long story…Elphie…How old are we?" Glinda asked

"We ar…wait…What? Um…I'm 19…you…18" Elphaba answered in hesitation scanning the blonde with deep furrow on her brow.

"18 hah…" Glinda repeated then jumped off the bed leaving Elphaba leaning on the headboard. She rushed to the full size mirror near her wardrobe and observed her own reflection. The crystal blue eyes stared back at her, perfect combination of long eyebrows, natural pink lips, white creamy skin, slender body for a petite girl like her, and a soft blonde loosely curl that longed over her shoulder for a few inches. Beautiful dashing teenager who surely made boys whipping their head back and girls gossiping with jealousy was here 'again'. The older version of her was still beautiful as ever, but there's no sparkling in the eyes, only dull could be seen, and no heart melted smile crossed her face. However, from now on, it will change. Glinda turned her gaze to the green girl and smiled brightly. Elphaba still had a look of confusion and concern. _That look was adorable as always. _Glinda thought with happiness before hurried back to Elphaba's side and hugged her closely.

"Oh…my Elphie…how I miss you…I miss you so so much." Glinda murmured into her chest.

"Glin…seriously...are you alright? I knew you love watching the mirror, but not with an unbelievable face like that. You were gorgeous as usual. What made you so dragged into it this morning?" Elphaba asked

"I was young. Elphie! Could you believe that!?" Glinda said

"Oh for Oz's sake! Who hit you, tell me this instant!"

"Elphie…Do you miss me?"

"Huh..Glin, What's wrong with you?"

"Do you miss me? Just answer my question"

"Well…don't came home that late again, alright? and stopped acting like we didn't live together."

"Why don't you just say 'I miss you' like other couples?"

"Glin…wait Glinda…we're not a couple" Elphaba shot up her eyebrow and looked at Glinda strangely.

"We're not!?" Glinda moved back from her favorite spot carrying an extremely shocked face.

"Uh..No, we're not. You and Fiyero are. You have a date with him tonight. Forgot, my crazy princess?"

Glinda stared at the green girl with seriousness. Hora was right. She did need time to adapt with her younger version. She forgot a lot of detail, her relationship with Elphaba was one of them. They were couple before going to the Emerald city, but clearly might be later from this moment, so now they were just friend, and she was dating with Fiyero. Luckily, she didn't throw herself in the bed with her green girl or else it would be a disaster since the first day. She thought of last night and thanked to her little remaining of sensitivity. If she didn't cry to sleep, she may kiss her love already. (not a nicely peck for sure) So right now…well…Glinda turned and gave Elphaba a quick peck on her lips.

"Thanks to my reminder" and kissed the green cheek lingeringly before grabbed her robe and entered the bathroom for the day of her second life.

Elphaba sat stiffly on the bed rubbing her cheek slowly. A sweet smile appeared on her dark green lips. This crazy blonde made her heart skipped a beat more than ever.

"_Care to be my couple..?"_ whispered softly from Glinda's mean green thing


	5. Chapter 5: Triangle's bud

**Note# Wicked is not mine; i just love it! Please R&amp;R, hope you enjoy ^-^**

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Chapter 5: Triangle's bud

Elphaba Thropp laid her head on the fluffy pillows, turned on her side, and watched the bathroom door in wonder. She still felt the soft of Glinda's lips and her gentle touch. What would it be to look into those crystal blue eyes when they were in love with one another. Elphaba chuckled quietly; the blonde always acted dizzily in the morning, and she shouldn't high her hope up just for that. She thought of Glinda's reaction last night and determined to know what's behind all of it. The green girl would get her answer soon enough. At the same time, Glinda surveyed her own bathing staffs, smiling to all type of oil placed on the vanity, then took a hot shower with her Gillikin rose' s shampoo. Half an hour later, she walked out in her robe seeing that her Elphie didn't stay in the room. One hand opened the huge wardrobe, the other rubbed her soaked hair with fluffy little pink towel; now she understood why Elphaba complained about all of pink objects. After many years of dark tone clothing, especially over headed cloaks, she lost all sense of fashion. Not that fabulous outfits were an issue in the future anyway, so when the ex-stylish saw what was in her closet, her jaw dropped down just a little. There obviously seemed to be a fashion lesson for her. '_Fashion lesson'…no kidding_

Elphaba came back with yummy tuna sandwiches and apple juices saying that the huge cumulonimbus was coming to hit Shiz University.

"Will you still go out tonight? The storm looked bad." Elphaba asked

"I thought so, Elphie. I had something to discuss with Fiyero, so if the storm didn't stop, we would meet at the main chamber instead."

"You told him already?"

"Yes, I sent a letter to him when you were out."

"I was out just a few minutes. Wow…what a surprise; this college messengers finally did their job."

"Funny Elphie, I sent it by magic." Glinda chuckled a little and answered in normal voice. Elphaba quieted immediately, confusion wrote on her face with this response, still she didn't say anything about it. Glinda, who seemed to realize what she just said, looked up from her food and smiled a little.

"Do you believe that?" Glinda asked amusingly; sparkling blue eyes looked into brown.

"It depended on how serious you were." Elphaba answered with small grin.

"No, silly, it depended on how much belief you carried for someone." Glinda said, light shone in her eyes

Elphaba's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Another weird thing happened with Glinda in around eight hours. Her roommate was smart; she was aware of that, but never once that she said an impressive statement in that manner. Someone must really smack the petite blonde last night.

The rain crashed transparent window in a noisy beat, and didn't stop till the late night. Glinda spent all her time both in morning and afternoon studying the room she shared with the green girl. She opened the wardrobe, tried her cloths in different shades and style, searched every drawer in closet and bedside, checked her class schedules and even read all label and instruction of her cosmetics. By the end of the day before her date, she felt ready for her university life 'again'. Elphaba, who reviewed the exam on her reading chair that sat next to her bed, observed the blonde occasionally via her reading glasses. Finally, she closed the book in a loud thud, stood up, and grabbed the blonde's upper arms in a firm grip. Deep brown looked seriously in blue.

"Glin…Are you angry with me or something? If it is, tell me."

"Um…Elphie…I didn't angry with you." Glinda answered in confusion.

"But you didn't say a word after breakfast, not a single sound, Oz! not a single babbling either!"

"Oh! No Elphie, I want to speak with you. I wait for so long to speak with you, but you're occupied by your tomorrow's quiz, so I didn't interrupt. I remembered that notebook; it's your exam's summary."

"It's alright Glin. You can babble or crazily chat about any girl talk as you want. Your silence scared me."

"Oh Elphie! I've never know you love my babbling." Glinda cried out in surprise.

"You just wasn't look like yourself Glin…I don't want to press you, but can you tell me about your crying and whatever behind it?"

"I will, just not now, not yet. Don't be so worry, you always worried too much about everything Elphie.

"Why wouldn't I?...You're the only right thing in my green life." Elphaba said staring directly to bright blue eyes. _Oz, she's gorgeous. _Glinda cupped her hand on the green cheek; her heart screamed at her to step closer and captured those calling lips, but _not yet, _she knew what's waiting for her in the future. She must finish some business before crossing that fine line. She won't make the same mistake.

"I'll see Fiyero for a while. Surprisingly, I missed him too." Glinda said abruptly and walked out.

"You should!, last time I checked he's your boyfriend." Elphaba said after the blonde back, then sat back down and started thinking about those lovely pink lips with a heavy heart. _Don't you drag the beauty down, green bean._

"Fiyero!" Glinda jumped into the prince's arms and held him tightly, not caring any eyes around the main chamber. He lifted the short girl up and swirled around a bit grinning widely for this perky greeting.

"Hey Glinny!, too bad…the sky was angry at Shiz tonight or else we would be in the most romantic restaurant in town by now." Fiyero said

"Fiyero, I missed you so much. Oh…I'm so happy to hear your voice again." Glinda said with a nearly crying expression.

"A handsome voice, wasn't it?" Fiyero playfully pointed. Glinda didn't say anything more, just looked at him and laughed prettily. What she's going to do was a huge risk. However, she came back to change things, so she would change things, and _complicated relationship _was in the first list. To protect her own personal problems, she had to try to be honest with everyone. 'Nip something in the bud' – that bud was in a shape of _triangle, _and the blonde couldn't let it bloom 'again'.

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**The first mistake comes up! thanks for reading, the future will start to review step by step. Hope my readers want to follow!**


	6. Chapter 6: Confrontation

**Note# I love wicked, but it's not mine. This chapter will answer many questions. Hope u enjoy pls R&amp;R**

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Chapter 6: Confrontation

The news about, 'the most perfect human being's couple in all of Oz breaking up', spread faster than a light speed itself. Nobody in Shiz knew the reason why Glinda, the top popular girl in reputation chain, threw the prince's heart away so easily. They all thought it was easy for her, but in reality, it was not. Glinda knew in her tired heart that the prince would be torn up inside because of their love ending – still it must be done to prevent the cause of Oz's fallen apart and importantly, the cause of their heartache. Fiyero had a chance to know what behind her sudden decision; he would when her relationship with the green girl showed up in public not long after this incident. That was what Glinda doing now, increased the speed of her true love's event just a bit faster, and if it worked, Dillamond would have a hard time to gain Elphaba's abilities in science and magic.

Elphaba didn't know this shocked news until the late afternoon of the next day. Glinda didn't say anything related last night, in fact, not more than "Goodnight Elphaba" before she went to bed. Other students discussed about it so profoundly as if their own business, and it reached her ears just after her feet left the café. The green girl strode quickly to her home sweet home which was soon to catch in fire with heat argument. She found Glinda sat down, back straight, on her spongy pink sheet waiting for her return. As usual, the green skinned girl in plain navy frock spoke directly to the point.

"I just heard you broke up with Fiyero. Was it true?"

"Yes, I'm sorry Elphie for not telling you earlier"

"Well…that's unexpected, you breaking up, Why?"

"We were not meant to be, just that"

"Not meant to be? Since when you didn't get along? You said you were born to be together. Elphaba asked in disbelief.

"I used to think like that, and it didn't end very well last time, so I decided to make everything clear and straight."

"You talked strangely again Glin. You surprised me so in this past two days."

"And it would surprise you again that I'm in love with someone else."

"Whoa…so that's why then, wait…who was that hapless guy?"

"This would surprise you more that it's not a guy, not He, _She_"

"Oh…oh well…you're right then; this got the first rank in my entire life surprising chart."

"Do you want to know who she is?" Glinda asked, sparkling blue eyes shone in the evening light.

"No, I don't." Elphaba lied abruptly; she was not ready for another emotional attack. Knowing that Glinda didn't be with Fiyero anymore made she feel relieve and hope, yet, in another ten minutes, this new lover identity came. Enough of up-down shock wave for today - sometimes this forbidden feeling hurt beyond belief.

"Even if I said you knew her too well?"

"It's Nessarose!?...Oh my freaking Oz! you're in love with my sister!?" Elphaba said out loud in shocked, her mouth dropped down.

"No! you mean green thing! It's you! I love you!" Glinda stood up and spoke back in same volume.

"That's not funny Glinda! How could someone so gorgeous like you could love me in that way!?" Elphaba pointed with huge dark eyes.

"Of cause I could. Your skin or your lack of social skill, or awful reputation didn't make you less human. You're a good person, better than those who proclaimed they were. How many times I have to tell you that you're beautiful Elphie, both in and out. When would you believe me?"

"I don't know Glinda. I'm nobody in this world, a freak who was hated by her family and people just because of the simple thing as _color. _I only believed in myself, and even we're best friend, and I trusted you. Your words were too good to be true. I'm sorry Glin…it's just…just lots of feelings in one swift moment."

"It's alright Elphie. I knew this would happen…I only wanted you to believe me sooner. It's…so long…and I wished we could be together."

"I don't know what to say. This was unbelievable. We couldn't be together, too different"

"Elphie…I knew how you feel, please, different – yes, but I'm not going anywhere. You won't lose me, never if we choose the right choice."

Elphaba shot her gaze up from the floor. How the blonde knew she's afraid of losing her. She loved the blonde much more than anything and willing to take care of her with all her might, but if she lost her one day.

How could she live in a lonely world again when there used to be love on her side – _afraid of losing herself. _

What if her difference caused Glinda into trouble and the blonde had to live in a sorrow life – _afraid of lost and pain_

"Elphie, you convinced yourself that it's too good to be true because you're afraid of love and being love. It's not your nature to let your guard down. I knew you love me…maybe too much. You don't have to tell me anything, and I would drop this down till you brave enough to do so."

Glinda flashed a beautiful smile that made Elphaba's heart lifted up. With teary blue eyes, she still looked so pretty, and the green girl scooped her in the arms. She stared earnestly in blue eyes. Questions ran in her head; the blonde seemed to know everything, and it started to be a bit scary. This new Glinda was so…so mature, what made her change into a reasonable blonde in these three days.

"You always have a way to get me, Glin. It's better to talk to me in your rational mood, you know." She said in soft voice

"I knew, and I don't get all of you, _yet_"

"Sounded like some blonde got a plan to bring the green wicked down"

"Yeh, I would bring the _real_ wicked down and got a whole body, heart, and soul of my green keeper in the end."

"Green keeper?"

"Yes, my Elphie. One day you would know why." Glinda cupped the green cheek in both of her hands and kissed lightly on the lips.

"Were you a magician now? Master with secret and brilliant with surprise"

"No, I'm a starving witch." The blonde answered in a little child manner and laced her hand with Elphaba's before they went to have their dinner.

Two weeks had passed since epic news about Glinda and the prince. Glinda was more comfortable to be off the campus and revealed herself in public. Her paranoia about danger reduced when she beginning to regained her youth's lifetime. showed no sign in the past weeks. He canceled all of his class for some personal trip out of Shiz – Elphaba complained about it in one night. Glinda didn't see an old goat for over a decade while she was hiding in the deep forest and studied the Grimmaries. Howbeit, her first plan had been done already, breaking up with Fiyero.

In her first life, Glinda still be with Fiyero though Elphaba already became more than friend. They have an affair without anyone's notice because the green girl was too worried about the blonde life and her future as an Uplands heir. Still, _there're no secret in this world_, and another thunderstruck truth came out later that Fiyero had a crush on Elphaba and _physically_ showed it once at the dark corner in the library - - No one could tell who was hurt the most - - Guilt and pain made Elphaba spent her time in the lab more than ever, and that lead to one invention that would take down Ozian's reign. No matter what, the blonde must keep that cunning goat away from her Elphie as far as she could.

The girls of room 22 walked down to the nearest café from their dorm and got some nice salad. Elphaba brought a few books planning to return them to library before it was close and borrowed the new one for her science experiment. After arrived at the library, Glinda has waited in front of the counter, not too far from the crafted wood opened door. Elphaba came back from the farthest shelf with new books, placed it on the counter and called the librarian who seemed to disappear under the counter since they walked in

"Becka, come up here please, these books can't borrowed themselves." Elphaba said

"_Becka..?_" Glinda turned her head and repeated questionably.

"Hello my green bookworm, miss you here! Look like you have some company, or she's not?" the librarian said showing her grin with sharp teeth in it.

"She is, Beck; Glinda Uplands, my roommates." Elphaba answered and smile back

Glinda watched their exchange in frightened. The famous tigress even with more smooth and fair fur, commander of Animals army, stood calmly in front of her and spoke closely to her green girl. _How could this happen._ Instinctively, she yanked the green girl back away from the counter and straight out her right hand intending to use magic – small bright light sparked up growing bigger in her palm. Before any power left her body, another deep hoarse voice of surprise and a heavy thud rang up near the door on her right.

There he was, the greatest enemy of all, standing confusingly with a heap of book on the ground. Innocently - how innocently he looked like, how fragile form.

"Miss Elphaba! Miss Glinda! Was everything alright!?" an old goat asked quickly

Glinda eyes grew wider in shocked. _That bastard _

"Doctor! Stepped back! She's using magic!" Becka shouted out

Elphaba, still no idea of what's happening, reached out to hold Glinda's other arms, but it's too late. Glinda, eyes full with rage and tear, shot the light ball at the future commander, and threw an old goat out of the door by the same wrist without hesitation. The light ball hit Becka in the chest and its force sent the tigress crash the full book shelf behind, all sense left her instantly. Dr. Dillamond landed with a fractal sound around his lower left arm and cried out in pain writhing on the floor.

Memory flashed back in Glinda's mind, an unforgettable incident. Last haunted memory filled her mind - a glimpse of gray crystal gaze caught her bleary eyes before the world turned into darkness.

"_Glin! Chistery! Go go don't stop!"_

"_We're trapped Elphie! There's cliff in the end!" Shout and gun firing came nearer and nearer_

"_There's no time to reach other sides of the forest. They must surround this area already!" Chistery said in panic _

_Elphaba looked around her with helplessness. They're not far from the cliff, but the gap between the other sides was too far to jump or to fly across with Chistery's injury wing - no option except one thing. She brought her love and winged friend to the darkest thorn bush and flower not far from the clearer area. She cut open the bush with knife and occasionally her boots, deep enough for two persons to fit in, pushed Chistery in first, for his wings and fur can protect him from sharp spike then shoved the blonde in the arms and protective wings of Chistery. _

"_Elphie! What are you doing?...Elphaba?" Glinda asked in a quivering voice trying to be free from her forced position._

"_Stay still Glin, Chistery! Envelope her with your wings, like that, yes! And hold her tight with your arms, locking her not to twist away. If Glinda tries to scream which she surely will, use your hands to block out any sound, NOT A SINGLE SOUND Chistery!"_

_The two tried to protest in anger; they know what Elphaba plan to do._

"_Hush! Listen! I will surrender and distract them from you two by an illusion decoy at the opposite site of the cliff. They will believe you two can cross away. By all that surrender, you two must DO as I told. No argue!"_

"_But Elphaba! You.."_

"_Chistery please, do as I said and promise me you will protect her no matter what happen from now on, and you too Glin – please, please be safe, keep the Grimmereis and use it wisely. I know you can do it." Elphaba said; her eyes fill with sorrow, but full with determination. Chistery whined, but nodded his head anyway. _

"_No, Elphie! Please don't, they will kill you! I won't let you die, not like this. You can't force me to do nothing! Please, please" Glinda pleaded with tear streams down her face. Even with Blood stain and dirty dirt, her beauty didn't come less. _

"_You must…" Elphaba whispered and touched her forehead to the blonde's _

"_I love you always Glin." With last words, she kissed lovingly to the blonde, stepped back, and tried her best to stick the thorn bush together before rushed out to meet her ex-professor._

_Within a minute, different types of Animals full with weapons surrounded her, and the green witch was down on her knee hopelessly. Commander Becka and Dillamond were there, and Becka grabbed the green girl up turning her face out to the deep forest. _

"_Where are the others, Elphaba?" the tigress hissed in her ear._

"_I don't know. Who knows? They may point their gun in your head right now." But soon after that, the tigress caught a flash of wing and blonde on the opposite side of the cliff. Seem like every Animals good eye sight can catch that, so they moved their arrow and shot out in the direction._

"_How sacrifice you are Miss Elphaba. It will be a waste, in time. I don't want to kill you, never, but your existence is too dangerous now." Dillamond said softly "I'm sorry my girl."_

_Elphaba Thropp stared directly at the shadowed thick bush. She saw nothing through its darkness, mentally smiled in victory; the green girl knew better in her heart that a war of will was in that shadow – how hard her love struggled, and how hard her monkey spent his strength to keep the petite blonde still and quiet. 'It's the only way; I'm sorry…really sorry' was the last thought of the green girl before pain ran up suddenly on her neck and lost herself into nowhere. Becka let Elphaba's body down and wiped the blood off her mouth a bit before leading her 'wisest' and army out._

_Not long after that, Glinda Uplands kneeled wordlessly beside her lifeless love. The evidences from sharp thorn were clearly all of her body. _

_No tear, no sound, nothing…and those sparkling in crystal cerulean eyes died down forever._

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**Elphie's death reveal! wish my reader like it. Feel free to give me a feed back, thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7: A bit chit chats

**Note# I love wicked even it's not mine, and I wish you enjoy my story. I did my best!**

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Chapter 7: A bit chit chats

The Uplands heiress, feeling of spongy fabric around her body, weakly whimpered in confusion. The sharp pain ran up on her right temporal, so hard that she casted away the moving's idea; still she finally opened half of her blue eyes and stared at her second home's ceiling. Painfully slow, her fingers found a thick bandage wrapped around her blonde head. She caught something green on her wounded side – the taller girl with tilted glasses laid unconsciously on her long arm holding the blonde hand loosely, unharmed. The green girl seemed so exhausted and less emerald than ever. Glinda gently touched the silk raven hair, looked at the sleeping form longingly. It was like losing her again and again even only in an old memory. She tried to sit up, but her body betrayed her once again sending her back on the comfortable bed.

"You shouldn't move right now, my master. It's very bad though - your injury." Hora said moving to bring water to the blonde.

"What…happened?" the weak girl asked

"The quite…um…large wooden shelve fell down on you, well, with a lots of book too."

"How…no…Elphie must be hit then; she stood behind me." Glinda drank cold water from Hora's hand and slowly recalled the incident - something flashed in her mind.

"You did it…didn't you Hora, to stop me."

"I'm so so so so so sorry, master, I had to, but I dragged Miss Elphaba out of the way. She is very powerful. It's a bit hard to pull her away from you. I made it like you pushed her out with your magic instead of flying out beautifully by me, so she didn't suspect." Hora explained in heavy heart. She sat beside her master and pleased for understanding via her warm gray eyes.

"Please forgive this little woman, I really don't want to hurt you, but trust me. This injury will save you from troubles." Hora grinned widely and blinked to her master comically.

"I don't see how you can be _a little woman _Hora. Elphie would say 'The word _little_ mostly use with a girl, more so in this case, your height is not an issue to use that word either, so you should enlarge your semantics' knowledge '."

"Is one of the most powerful witches of Oz really that nerd?"

"Shhh…you'll wake her and please, she just uses her head better than her heart. I forgive you, so stop this dramatic, you made me headache."

"No need to worry, I put her to sleep, so she won't wake up to listen to our classified mission."

"For how long? I would like to speak with her."

"For a chit chat moment, that's all, master.

"She looked so worn out; I made her disappointed in me more than anything…those have not been her enemy yet." Glinda said and smiled sadly

"You couldn't blame anyone for the crime they still didn't commit, master. You must aware of that immensely, or else you will be the one who are an evil in this whole story, proved to Miss Elphaba before you make any move with them."

"I'll keep that in mind Hora, thank you, just please, do not throw anything at me again. It's too painful for a little woman like me."

"I didn't throw, pushed actually, but…I do understand your point, my master." Hora said plainly even with a glare from Glinda.

"And don't afraid of her reaction from that fantastic magic thing in the library, again, trust me, she had something else to worry about. Enjoy your bedtime, deeply apology to my master." After that sentence, Hora blinked several times then disappeared in the air.

Glinda stared to the spot where Hora sat earlier and reviewed her plan in mind. She let emotion ruled her, and she could destroy her second chance. Hora following her relieved her a bit more; at least, she could trust the time keeper now. She had to wait and see how her magic bravery ended. The blonde could make an excuse for attacking officers by blaming on beginner's magical outburst. It happened sometimes when the magic grew enough and show out. Anyway, it's a rare case to have some new magical girl to throw people around like she did, but when all of Shiz had Elphaba's commotion as an example. The blonde thought she could play innocent. Moreover, Morrible would be thrilled to know that her dumb apprentice was not that useless. Literally, Glinda's stronger than Elphaba now in her eyes.

The long digit lightly traced the blonde bandage. Elphaba, already put down her glasses on the bedside table, woke up, said nothing except giving her a sleepy face, and a gentle caress on the blonde hair. She's in her simple black sleeping frock same as her roommates, just that the blonde's shorter and blue.

"Hello, my crazy princess…has fun with your various dreams?" Elphaba said in soft voice

"You said like I sleep for a month, my mean green thing."

"A week, enough for dream's collection."

"I'm out for that long?...what a good hit…" Glinda murmured reminding about Hora

"If you didn't push me out, it might not be this long."

"Or it might be a long dream for both of us."

"What happened there Glin? You acted like they are a monster or something."

"I…couldn't remember much Elphie. My magic must control me completely." Glinda played along the line.

"Strange…I could remember everything when I can't control mine."

"May be Morrible could answer. How's that two?"

"They're better now, and Morrible already announced some explanation to Shiz. It's possible, she said, even it's a frightened outburst. Becka and Dr. Dillamond were fine with this. They didn't angry with you, don't worry." Elphaba said smiling softly

"Then…how are you?"

"That's my line Glin, not yours"

"My head is screaming, some rest will be fine I hope and what I mean is your feelings, Elphie. I shot magic ball to your friend and threw your teacher out of the door."

"You remember the magic ball?"

"Well…a little"

"I'm alright, just so worry about you. It's an accident, magic things. Know what? I try to talk to you while you sleep, but nothing happened. I'm so afraid you won't wake up again. I…I don't know what to do to help you." Elphaba said with a furrowed eyebrow.

"Help by laying down here Elphie." Glinda smiled and moved for a space

"Now, hold me tightly."

"Are you commanding me Miss Glinda?" Elphaba asked while surrounded her arms around the blonde and pulled her close.

"You want to help me, so help me!, Miss Elphaba, now closer."

Elphaba complied and tightened her arms a little before placed her forehead to the blonde. Their noses touch slightly.

"Does this hurt your wound?" She asked and wrinkled her brows again.

"No, not hurt…I hate when you worry too much, but I love your worry face, you know." Glinda said lovingly and laughed.

"Is that even possible? You do crazy, you know, lately." Elphaba smirked back

"Yes…crazy…" closing her glistering blue eyes, she lightly kissed Elphaba's cheek, nose, the corner of her mouth and finally captured the dark lips with her own, deepened it in a second. Her tongue traced along the lower lips begging for exploration, and by her surprise, Elphaba granted her wish. Glinda kissed her love passionately shuddering by desire, her head pounding, yet her heart beating faster. The invisible wall around Elphaba burned down by the heat of the moment, and she let her heart guide her way and her instinct led her movement.

_What if Glinda never wake up, _the green girl learned her lesson. There they seemed like sharing forever kisses until the blonde lost her battle with herself and fell asleep in the green girl arms.

"I miss you, my sweet." Elphaba whispered to her crazy princess before held her love closer - thinking earnestly about small angelic voice belonged to a little woman named Hora.

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**Hope you like this small puff! **


	8. Chapter 8: Trial

**Note# My pure adoration to Wicked which belongs to great people**

**Dear my readers, thanks so much for reading. I promise to continue this story till the end even there's no any review at all. I do this with love, Wicked both in book and musical changed my life. It inspired me to continue my master degree in Literature field. I wish to share Wicked's love with all of you, so I think one review for my story can make me cry Lol I accepted every opinion both good and bad, please share your idea with me. Sorry for my grammatical error or strange structure, English isn't my first language, but I'll try hard. Enjoy the chapter!**

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Chapter 8: Trial

The green girl took a long step out of her mathematics' class heading to the next lesson which owned by Dr. Dillamond, history. Elphaba sat on her usual spot in front of the role and opened the thick dusty old book – _The Arts of disguise with one hand_, lent from the furthest section in the library. It was about different form of spells using for covering your identity. Many of them could make everyone in this land thrilled with paranoia in their surrounded people, and now Elphaba, the so-called heartless freak, scared from her core. _Could this be Glinda's disguise_, _the petite girl whom she poured her heart out by those heat kisses. _The change in perspective, maturity, and strange talk definitely happened with reason, but the idea of someone else became Glinda didn't frightened her more than the possibility of where the real Glinda was. Question words ran fast in her head: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Only the question of when that she could answer, that night nearly month ago. For the other questions, fear gripped her heart for an unanswered. On the other hands, she didn't feel like Glinda's gone away though; she still saw those bright crystal blue looked at her with love and adoration even after that night. They said you could see a soul via their eyes, and it's the only statement that she believed when concerning with this issue. _Elphaba saw the soul she fell in love with, _still she searched for the possible explanation that she could think of, because of that woman, Hora. The classified mission they were into sent her to this book as it's the first thing in Elphaba's smart head – Conspiracy staff. Elphaba might be powerful as Hora said; she felt more sleepy, yes, but soon it's gone, and left her hear every chit chat things. Free spirit she always was; and may be Hora's spell couldn't affect her anymore.

"_I made her disappointed in me more than anything…those have not been her enemy yet."_

Glinda's remark doubted her most, so Becka and Dr. Dillamond were her enemy then. That made everything worse than ever. Elphaba was thinking through these along with an old goat monotone sound. She looked up sometimes for Dr. Dillamond would see that she concentrated, being like that for nearly two hours till something caught her attention.

"The fall of many ancient kingdoms around Oz collapsed by the will of the unnamed god, in religious view, first Ozians said, but from the survived cities' keeper and secret holder; they said goddess, Hora, diverse in gray's beauty, was the one who wheeled the world."

In that moment, Elphaba's brow shot up and dropped her jaw without knowing.

"Oh…Miss Elphaba! Not often that I see this look from you!" Dr. Dillamond said in surprise.

"Which book did you find this goddess Dr. Dillamond? I've never heard of her before." Elphaba asked in seriousness.

"I'm afraid she's not in any proved document Miss Elphaba. You may find a few lines in some source. She's like an unforgivable goddess, so no one worshiped her, except those who lived in the shadow. What I told you earlier was some lesson from my professor as well." Dr. Dillamond answered simply

"Why was she an unforgivable goddess?" Fiyero, who stared directly to Elphaba's direction, asked. His interesting in class surprised everyone.

"I guess because she only appeared when the new age come, and no pain no gain, wasn't it? Master Fiyero, I'm impressed with your concentration!"

The green girl sat stiffly on her desk; she began to worry again. If Dr. Dillamond was right, what was the goddess' business with the blonde, but _Goddess?, this can't be serious. _The girl in her room was the love of her life, wasn't she? What if her eyes tricked her? Suddenly, Elphaba stood up and strode out of the class murmuring an apology to an old goat.

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Glinda standing in front of the mirror examined her head carefully. A week of being a sleeping beauty healed most of her wound, just a few of maroon flake and middle size of sore bruise. Nurse from the infirmary changed her bandage into the smaller one and patched it instead which she gladly accepted, for the soft white bar around her shining blonde hair wasn't that ritzy crown. She dressed in her uniform, only it's soft blue, with a longer skirt. Glinda headed to meet Milla in the next room, but met with a fierce door's pushing by her roommates. Elphaba walked in silently and passed the blonde without any greeting. The green girl dropped her satchel on the bed, picked one book from shelve, and moved to get out again. Glinda observed this reaction quietly and blocked the way out of their room. Elphaba stopped in front of her, still saying nothing. They looked into each other eyes for a while and tried to find their own answers. At last, it's Glinda who made the first move. She reached her hand to touch the green girl, but she stepped back a few paces. Uncertainty look in Elphaba's eyes captured the blonde, and her heart fell down instantly. _The look of distrust _

"Elphie…"

"Who are you?"

"Galinda Arduenna Upland"

"You seemed not surprise that I asked"

"Why would I? I know what you are thinking about."

"Oh, really?…What's it then?"

"You need my confession even you don't know anything at all."

"I do know something."

"My fault then"

"Where is Glinda?"

"Right here, in front of you"

"Prove it"

"Elphie…you know it's me." Glinda pleaded

"May be that's the reason why I want you to prove."

"I will, but not now. Only words were not enough for you to believe."

"Try me or you just call your friend, I may finally believe in god because of her."

The blonde stared deeply into dark brown eyes. Elphaba deserved the whole story, and knew that if she chose to let her love go, it would eat her up inside, so the blonde walked to her fluffy bed and sat down patting softly on the spot beside her. Elphaba hesitated for a moment then followed looking to somewhere else except the blonde.

"Elphie, I'm not sure you would be alright with this, but could you please hold me when I explained?"

The green girl weighed this request in her mind a bit before slid back to the headboard and rested herself. The blonde smile softly, moved to sit between her love's knees, leaned her head on one shoulder and sank down into her body. Elphaba entwined her arms around the perfect shape waist. The scent of Gillikin rose calmed the green girl down, and she couldn't resist pressing her green face into the fair blonde hair.

"Always the same, still harmless in this intimate position, my Elphie"

"Glin..."

"You don't have to go anywhere, right? You seemed to be earlier."

"No, I just want to get away." Elphaba's voice back to normal again, soft, warm, and steady.

"Good, so you didn't sleep at all when Hora came, did you?"

"No, did not…but she really spelled me to sleep. I guess I could defy her magic."

"It made senses. You are one of the two most powerful witches of Oz."

"Obviously, you are the other."

"I am…but I worked so hard to get that title."

"You are not my Glinda, aren't you?"

"I'm your Glinda, just the grown up one, the older one, and experienced soul living in the younger version."

"Then where is your younger soul? I don't understand."

"My younger soul grew up to be me right now, Elphie." The blonde said, twisted her body to look into brown eyes, and spoke clearly.

"I came from the future, to prevent the chaos, and most importantly – to save your life. I used the forbidden spell from the Grimmeries to relive again. I don't know how much do you know about Hora, but to me, she is _the time keeper_ who brought me back; I think she's my helper for all these things."

Elphaba stared blankly at the blonde. Her mouth opened as if to say something, but only a long small sound left from her throat.

"What?" Elphaba asked in a long high pitch

"See?…now I'm a lunatic, thanks Oz"

Elphaba said no word after that; she dragged herself into her intelligent brain, so Hora, diverse in gray's beauty existed, but not a god like, only _the time keeper_? If Glinda told her the truth, it could explain everything in the past month. The green girl lost in her mind for a long time, and the blonde didn't plan to interrupt, so she continued leaning on her love and close her eyes, waiting. Darkness began to fall and the moon soon shining its creamy light. Glinda, already fell asleep in Elphaba's arms, stirred up by the light kisses on her hair and face.

"Dinner time, my crazy princess"

"Won't you wake me up by touching you lips with mine? I use mouth to eat; and it still not alarm."

Elphaba laughed a little before capture the pink lips warmly and moved out of the blonde. Numbness attacked her body, sitting in the same position for too long.

"So Glin…how old are you?"

"40"

"40!?" Elphaba turned her head immediately.

"Is it too old for you to be in a relationship with?"

"I don't think so. 21 years…wow…No doubt, why you so expertize in magic."

"Not just in magic." Glinda stated, casted her dazzling eyes to the green girl.

"That…was expected. Of cause you would be good at many things in that age."

"Yes, like moving, gliding…massage…Oh…tasting too."

"Fighting, riding, healing, and cooking! How talented you are Miss Glinda."

Elphaba said in surprising voice with excited dark eyes, and that made Glinda laughed aloud. She got out of the bed, laced her arms around her love's neck, and kissed the dark lips possessively.

"Thank you for believing in me"

"I'm still wondering how in Oz can I believe you"

"You'll see Elphie. In a few days, we will go out to find someone."

"Is this a part of your heroine thing?"

"Yes, but only this time that I will bring you with me, to give you evidence that your sharp teeth friend and your beloved teacher were not as they seemed."

"For that, I will patiently wait for your prove. Whom are we going to find?"

"Our dear friends, honest monkey named Chistery" Glinda answered while putting on her heel and continued her words.

"Before that, I have a question; did an old goat ask your help for his experiment?" Glinda asked walking along the corridor and held hand with her love.

"He did, about the combination and difference between scientific power and magical power. It's not his majority though, energy things, but he said he needed me to help him with magic. He wanted to test their differences in case he found a new form of energy that can be used in the future. He's creating a new invention to transport strong energy through the land of Oz planning to center it in the palace for it could spread out equally. It sounded interesting, so I accepted his request. How do you know about this experiment?"

Glinda squeezed Elphaba's hand just a little and thought about the consequences of what she would say. Finally, she turned and gave the answer.

"Because you and his invention will take away human _senses _and _speeches." _

And silence enveloped them like the piercing cold wind in midnight time

* * *

**Story of their future nearly show up, hope you enjoy!**


	9. Chapter 9: Perfect combination

**Note# Wicked is not mine, but I love it. **  
**  
Enjoy the chapter, and you will bring one of the greatest joy in my life for giving me just one comment. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

Chapter 9: Perfect combination

"_Because you and his invention will take away human senses and speeches." _

Almost lunch time in the following day, Elphaba, lying stock-still like a fallen statue on the solid bed, couldn't stop repeat her precious Glinda's words in her head. Half an hour ago, she heard Glinda said something about going to be a nice student outside the dorm, would be back soon, but the green girl lost all other detail. She's too occupied in her thought to mind anything else. It's like playing puzzle game, a dangerous game which she didn't know the rules or purposes. Indeed, s_he didn't know anything at all like Glinda said._ What Glinda told her yesterday seemed to happen in a dream, stood between cloud of vision and reality. Glinda didn't explain more about it; may be because she realized that it's useless to tell her right away, so they just finished their dinner quietly and slept in their own beds. Then the most painful question hit her again, _did she really believe Glinda?_ She hated an unanswered question. The green bean of Shiz is one of the best researchers, but for this, she had to give it up for a while. Elphaba spread out a long sigh and slid her legs to the side of the bed intending to get ready for the day, and when she moved her head up, she met with a bright crystal gray eyes staring at her dark brown, sat on the pink bed facing her in the same gesture. Elphaba shout out in shock and jumped out instantly, back on the wardrobe not far from the tip of her bed. The gray beauty watched Elphaba's reaction in amusement and laughed a little before turned her head to meet the green girl gaze.

"Miss Elphaba, I didn't know you are such a great jumper."

* * *

In front of the thick wood door, the gorgeous blonde, wearing middle ranged cream skirt and soft green shirt, stood stiffly with her eyes fixed to the tag written " – Life Science and History". Glinda came to an old goat office to give him a proper apology before she had to walk across the building to befriend with the future commander, Becka. The blonde knocked three times and waited for any respond, soon, the small clicked could be heard, and dark eyes looked at her via his glasses' rectangle lens. The door opened wide at once when he saw who was the visitor and gestured the blonde to sit on the matching chair with his crafted wood desk. An old goat's office was very small and a bit musty comparing with other professors, but it's hard to say that this was from racist when he had quite a huge lab all by himself at the far side of Science's building when others only had a livable single room for work. In fact, this crafted desk seemed too elegant to be in this tiny room; maybe Madam Morrible didn't hate Animals that much. _Really? _The goat collected his dusty books on the shelf behind the desk for a moment before turned his head and gave Glinda a warm smile. He wore a dark orange cape, swirling marking matched with his light brown shirt and trousers except that his lower left arm wrapped with a bulky gray stick and bandage.

"Hello Miss Glinda! I heard you woke up for a few days. Miss Elphaba was close to insanity when you're not around her, to help you; she even asked me where to find an extinct herb that she read in an old medical book!"

Though she didn't trust an old goat, Glinda couldn't help but chuckled at that statement.

"She overreacted in lots of thing, Dr. Dillamond, guess I'm one of those."

"Absolutely, Miss Glinda! She cares for you dearly, so what brings you here since you don't have any interested in my subjects." The goat asked kindly.

"I would like to say sorry for my…magic outburst that day. Please accept my apology, I didn't mean to break your arm or flew you out like that. I'm so sorry, Dr. Dillamond." The blonde said politely

"Oh! It's alright Miss Glinda. Madam Morrible had already explained to me that it's possible for it to blow up. I think it's good actually, so now you know that you have a great gift. Nothing personal, I believe"

"Yes, Dr. Dillamond, nothing personal, not at all. Thanks for your understanding. Hope your arm gets better soon, sorry to you again" Glinda said in a sweet voice, succeeded in controlling her beautiful pleading smile, said last goodbye, and walked out of the room heading to the library.

"Do you think it's actually a normal magic outburst, Morrible?" Dillamond asked to the figure hiding in an adjoining room.

"Why not? I don't see any suspicious. She's just an air-headed blonde girl showing lady's manner as usual."

"She didn't show any great power before this, not ever?, in your seminar"

"Never ever! She was in because Elphaba forced me to accept her. I could ignore her request easily, if she didn't so determine to quit from my seminar. We needed her magic control to complete the plan. I had no choices." Morrible answered in a boring sound.

"Who's stronger? Elphaba or Glinda?"

"It's Glinda if talking about control and technique. Her outburst must be perfectly in checked whether she knew it or not. She could use different spells with a flick of her hand, not to mention how fast, and that light ball! Hate to admit, but I'm impressed." Morrible said in high voice

"What if we change to Glinda? Do you think that spell will be stronger?"

"Oh no no, my partner, don't waste their talented! Two always better than one, isn't it? Their magic possibly be combined; they had enough bonds, funny that they became very good friends. With this Glinda new founded power, together, they are unparalleled. The question is 'how to make them perform the spell'."

Morrible flashed a huge grinned to the goat and sat down to plan the next move. It's not easy to make use of the two young witches, and to achieve that, they needed a long way to go.

"In three days, we will go to the camp. _He _will be there to tell you the necessary spell for our plan, cleared your schedule for it." The goat said

"How can I miss? I'll be thrilled to meet him." Morrible jerked her lips' corner up and left the goat alone in his musty room.

* * *

"Um…excuse me? Excuse me…Miss"

The pack of large heavy paper were smacked down on the marble floor loudly by a tan paws. That's all Glinda could see from her position in front of the beautiful wood pattern Library's counter. The sharp teeth seemed to love hiding under it.

"Well…if you won't get up here, I will just take these books with me and never return, _ever_." Glinda said slowly

"Hey, I know books can't borrow itself! Please, I'm checking some useless journals here!" Becka roared from under the counter.

"Oh…I thought the librarian loved every source of knowledge." Glinda said simply hiding her venom

Finally, the tigress picked herself up, her paws and fur full of torn papers.

"Oh! Supergirl! I'm glad you still alive." Becka said with a grin.

"You looked as good as new."

"I'm tigress, stronger than most of Animals. I'm fine now."

"I'm sorry for hurting you. Hope you accept my apology." Glinda smiled kindly and bowed her head just a little.

"I accepted your intention. Don't worry, it's just accident." Becka said with huge smile.

Glinda didn't say more words. She looked at the future commander one last time before walked out to have some lunch for her and Elphaba.

"_You couldn't blame anyone for the crime they still didn't commit"_

What hora said echoed in her head. The blonde clenched her hand and tear brimmed in blue eyes; for now she wanted to blow that fur head into pieces - the head of murderer who took away the one she loved.

* * *

Elphaba stared at the time keeper with unbelievable eyes. What the goat said was true – she indeed had her charm and beauty. The different shades of gray on her stressed long hair, light in bright gray eyes, grace of knowledge, and softness all around. She dressed in a simple cream gown with a faded flower pattern on it. Elphaba observed carefully and readied to attack if the time keeper made a wrong move. The green girl didn't say anything back after that greeting and didn't plan to speak this soon.

"You're so…guarded. No need for magic, Miss Elphaba. I'm not here to hurt you or my master. May be we could sit and talk." Hora gestured to the opposite spot on Elphaba's bed. The green girl didn't accept the invitation, so Hora chuckled softly and scooted herself to the end of the pink bed instead facing the green girl. That's when Hora brow furrowed strictly. She tilted her head to her side and focused on Elphaba.

"How powerful you are Miss Elphaba. I can't even read your mind. Your magic blocked me out, denying my power. That's incredible; no one can do that to me!"

Hora exclaimed out loud, and let her jaw dropped down a bit.

"Oh, proud that I can surprise god? Frankly, I don't trust you." Elphaba said seriously.

"Nobody should trust the stranger, boring logic!"

"Especially the one who're trying to read your mind. What do you want?"

"Don't be so harsh Miss Elphaba. I want to be an evidence for your doubt. You asked my master for me, so here I am."

Elphaba didn't know what to say, but the gray beauty's appearance made her feel better about it somehow, so she stood quietly for a while thinking about all puzzle, and walked to sit on her bed at last. By Hora's surprise again, she reached out her right hand and spoke politely. "I'm Elphaba Thropps, please called me Elphaba, and thanks for coming."

Hora looked at the girl confusingly, taken aback in the sudden change of manner, but smiling widely none the less and took the green hand in hers.

"Called me Hora, the time keeper, or any names that any mortal called me, Nice to meet you…officially! We'll be a great friend." She added the last sentence a few seconds later.

Elphaba laughed a little looking with unreadable face at the humming goddess. Now she's friend with an unforgivable goddess and fell in love with a forty years old woman (girl). The green girl couldn't imagine what crazy things are waiting for her.

"I thought you would be more anti-socialized. That introduction shocked my world, Miss Elphaba. Hora said in mocking face.

"Certainly I am; that's a part of popular course from Glinda. I'm a great student." Elphaba plainly spoke back

"Hora!" the high-pitched cried out loudly from the door

"Goodnoon, my master."

"Goodnoon…?" Elphaba shot her brow up

"I'm straight to time." Hora said with grin

"What are you doing here!? Is it possible for you to appear in front of other people?" Glinda asked putting pack of lunch box down on the small table at the far side of the room.

"Well, I want your green girl to at last believe in God, so I came to see her, and it's possible for other to see me, my master, if that person is important enough." Hora answered crossing the bed to sniff at the lunch box.

Glinda laughed out loud and turned to look at the green girl.

"Believing in their existences doesn't mean I have faith in them." Elphaba said simply.

Hora shrugged then moved to sit at the fluffy chair looking at her master. The blonde sat on Elphaba's lap and bubbling about her morning adventure, meetings, and a cat fight between Shenshen and another girl at the café. Her face filled with happy smile and grace, and the green girl listened mildly with a look of adoration. _They deserved the best of the world._ Smile sadly, Hora said to herself.

"…and even I know how childish it is, I have to say; it's an EPIC! Can you imagine that Hora?" Glinda whipped her head then asked, but Hora wasn't there anymore. She already disappeared.

"Guess she didn't like your lunch time story, Glin."

"Lunch! Elphie! I grabbed salad for both of us, big one." Glinda said in happiness squirming on Elphaba's lap.

"Your perkiness seemed to return to you, hm?, my crazy princess."

"Really? Well, I'm not that old anymore, am I?"

"May be because you don't have to keep any secret, but it's more like you will be like this even when you grow gray." Elphaba answered in playful tone.

"Awwwwwwww, but you will still be with me, right?" Glinda pouted lovingly touching her forehead with the green girl. Elphaba, with all of her fully returning trust for Glinda, didn't hesitate to kiss the small nose gently, and whispered her answer to the natural pink lips.

"Till the last second of my life…Glinda Upland."

They spent their afternoon together in the room, reading, playing, and talking. Glinda felt like an eighteen years old girl again when Elphaba was with her. Some old feelings didn't get away. The blonde could feel the green girl's honesty, protection, and gentleness as she always had. Though there're so many things to complete, the blonde put it all down when her love was by her side. After a nice dinner outside of their room, they got ready for the night and joined the same bed, the pink one, with a soft candle light and Elphaba's head on Glinda's lap. Elphaba asked Glinda many things about magic, but put aside all that concerned to an invention of Dr. Dillamond. She didn't need more dramatic story for today.

"So every magical people have their own element?" Elphaba asked, reached up and caress the blonde's cheek gently with the back of the hand.

"Yes, main element and sub-element. All spell we can perform based on those two elements in our power nature. We can do other spells in different elements as well, but it needs that element sources to help us control it."

"You mean we can only create magic from our elements only."

"Ahha, but you'll be best in your main element; the sub-element is something that comes with it, like they are best friends."

"Four elements, right?"

"Well…it's not really elements, Elphie. We called that for an easy understanding. Everything that…um…how say…created from nature could be elements, natural resources and what they can become."

"Like water can turn to ice?"

"Then even ice can be an element, exactly, my young green thing." Glinda said with a grin on her face.

"I know you must be extremely in bliss that you're able to lecture me, Glin." Elphaba smirked up to her now older girl.

"I can't believe I have this moment! Yahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Glinda shouted out happily and crushed the green face in funny form with her fingers, laughing her heart out.

"Yow oemend id ighyt, isoon eeeeed?" Elphaba asked in intangible words. Her eyes looked so small in her squeezing face. Glinda was still laughing out and wiped her tear a bit before answered the green girl.

"Yes, it's light, bright one too."

"What about me?" Elphaba asked again massaging her cheek and jaw from Glinda's hands assault. Glinda didn't say anything back this time. She lifted one green hand up, kissed it lightly, and then placed her own creamy hand on the top. The glistering light escaped from their hands. When the blonde opened her palm up, the emerald fire ball with a shining light circle in the center flamed loosely in Elphaba's hand.

"Whoa…wow...Fire then, my power." Elphaba whispered softly.

"Yes, my love, Fire. I created the normal light ball, but since it's in your palm, it responded to your power instead. What we see here is our magic combination."

"I read about it once. The combiners must have a strong bonds and matching elements."

"_Light the heated fire for light, and the heated light shall light the fire in return. _You told me when we first tried this." Glinda said in lower voice.

"It's hard to set fire up with light, but yes, it's possible." Elphaba said examining the emerald flame in her hand thoughtfully.

"We had never completed it…In that time, many years ago when I wasn't this good. We could form only mixed fire and light, no shape, no use in anyway; I failed you till the day you died, and now…look at it, Elphie, it's perfect. I'm good enough for you at last, and I won't fail you again. I won't let any of us watch the other die. Why Elphie…why I have to watch that cruel tigress bit you, leaving you bled out. Why you're so heartless to make me do nothing to help you?"

Glinda said in quivering voice. The old memories hit her hard again, both the happy one when they used to practice magic together and the death scene in the deep forest. Crystal blue eyes faded down to dull orbs, tear slowly streamed down her pretty face. Elphaba knew from the last part of those heartbroken words, that Glinda was asking another green girl whom she not yet becomes.

Elphaba cleared her magic ball away, sat up, and pulled the blonde in her arms. _Becka killed me. _The green girl kept this puzzle in her mind; her trusted friend was that killer, and she felt a sharp pain in her heart knowing this. For Glinda part, she couldn't answer those questions, but obviously that she was the one who left the huge scar on the blonde's heart, so she stroked Glinda's hair and rocked her back and forth soothingly.

"My sweet, I'm so sorry. I…am sorry for everything. I mean both 'me and another me'." Elphaba moved back a bit to look at her face before continued her words.

"I'm here now. I'm not that girl, but I'm here now anyway." Elphaba took Glinda's hand up and put her hand on its inner side, soon, she opened her palm like the blonde did before, and the bright light ball with moving green wave sparkling in it showed up. Glinda choked out a laugh along with her tear admiring magic in her hand.

"See?, this combination spell in less than...um…five minutes. I'm your Elphie, and yours only. Who else can be a genius like me!?" Elphaba exclaimed in excited tone, smirked at the blonde.

Glinda, now wiping all her tear, erased her magic ball and pushed Elphaba's back on the headboard. She slowly straddled the surprising green girl and closed the gap between their lips, kind of breathtaking kiss, passionate, deep, and hungry. That kiss blanked the green girl entire head. Her heart skipped a beat, aloud faster and faster, her lung screamed for oxygen, still she couldn't let go of the blonde. Their jaws' were moving up and down, desperate for more movement and tongue battle. Heavy breath mixing with pant and grasp filled the hotter room. Glinda was the first who broke their heated kiss and trailed down to Elphaba's neck, nipping, soft biting, then end up on her pulsing point, whispering under her ear in husky sound.

"Mine?…not yet."

And light could easily kindle fire in the way Elphaba's never imagined before.

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*****Next chapter will be in M RATE, which I will post in one shot, so any reader who wants to be a little naughty can read that separately in M RATE category****. If not, you still continue this T RATE without any confusion. Thanks to all of u, see u in next two c**hapters!*******


	10. Chapter 10: Light in the battle

**#Wicked's not mine**

*****Thanks to you, Varia, for your comment. You made my day and my inspiration.* ****

**Love scene for Chapter 9 (Perfect combination)'s already been uploaded in M RATE \- "Ignite the fire" - I wish you have some fun with it, since it's my first smut ever. So sorry if there's any mistake, and you can tell me right away both in PM and Review. **

**For this chapter - Hope you enjoy the fight!**

* * *

Chapter 10: Light in the battle

Elphaba slowly opened her dark brown eyes when she felt a feather trace on her arm followed by a soft kisses. Glinda, prop up on her side, was smoothly waking the green girl up in a new way, lover way. Elphaba's muscles were a bit sore from last memorable night, and it's like she didn't get enough sleep at all. Different from Glinda, who seemed to be happier than ever and loaded of energy.

"Did you always wake me up like this?" Elphaba whimpered and turned on her side to face the blonde

"No, not always, only when you're too tired to receive my full waking up routine."

"_Full waking up routine, s_ound a bit scary huh?" Elphaba murmured and closed her eyes once more

"Not at all"

Glinda smiled then brought herself to kiss Elphaba wholly, trailing her tongue on dark lower lip, moved her hand up and down Elphaba's green throat and collarbone.

"Kiss me…" Glinda whispered between kisses, and Elphaba submitted uncontrollably. She kissed back and unconsciously speed it up, grasped the blonde hair in one and the other pulled her closer till there's no space left between them. Glinda parted when it's too risk to go far beyond a wake-up call panting on the pillows, and touched their forehead together.

"See…not scary" Glinda chuckled nudging her nose to Elphaba's.

"I scared I wouldn't stop." Elphaba replied, still breathed heavily

"Indeed, you'd never stopped when we kissed like that, so I would be the one who'd _necessarily _pulled out before we didn't have a single chance to get off the bed."

Glinda told the green girl sweetly and laughed at the _still never change _habit between them.

"I'm that demanding?, another shocking truth." Elphaba exclaimed holding the blonde tighter.

They spend time talking and teasing for awhile till the sound of rasp paper slit through the gap beneath their door. Elphaba shifted to get off the bed, to pick it up, but was ceased by creamy hand. The white letter has already been gripped in the blonde's fingers, and Elphaba looked at her in pure amazement.

"We're witches, my love, why bother to move?" Glinda said waving the letter in her hand then gave it to the green girl after reading who addressed.

"It's Dr. Dillamond." Elphaba said while tearing off the envelope. Glinda didn't say anything, moved to lie on her stomach watching her love concentrated on the text.

"He asked me to meet him this afternoon, at the lab. I refused his request for over a week to look after you, guess I have to go." Elphaba told the blonde, brows furrowed.

"I'll go with you."

"No, you can't. This experiment is secret and your magic skills attracted his interest enough, Glin. No matter what that invention is, I have to be a part of it, so I'll know how I can help you with this _protecting the future _staff." Elphaba switched into her earnest mode speaking firmly.

"You don't have to. It's no…"

"Of course I have to" Elphaba interrupted, a bit louder than usual. Her dark intense eyes stare directly at blue before continued on.

"It's not just you who want to protect someone you love."

It's like something pressed the replay button in the blonde life. Each one gave everything up just to protect the other, and in the end, they both failed because they loved each other too much to be side by side. Someone always stood in the front to be a bulletproof.

"Elphie…come here, please" Glinda pleaded quietly, and Elphaba complied moving closer to the blonde.

"I didn't mean to raise my voice."

"It's alright. You just don't know how to deal with this."

"I will if you show me what will happen. Let me see it"

_Undesirable_ words shot up in the air at last. Glinda averted her eyes, silently denied her love's request. There's a spell that could bring someone into your memories, but there's a side effect that she didn't want the green girl to suffer. She knew that Elphaba waited for a right moment to ask her permission. Her love's smart enough to point it up when she has no choice, but to surrender. Glinda couldn't risk leaving Elphaba to meet the old goat. Surely, he wouldn't harm her; still, something might happen since many incidences had been changed.

"Can I just tell you everything instead?" Glinda decided to negotiate.

"No, if you don't let me, I won't get what I plan for."

"I can't, it's too painful. I spent half of my life dealing with it. You don't have to go back to be that girl anymore when you have me, have my power."

"What will I find there, Glin, what made you so afraid of?

"I'm afraid for _you_…and the only thing you will find is _regret_." The blonde whispered her answer before got off to prepare for her afternoon class.

* * *

Three days passed, and both girls acted like a well-known stranger. They still lived in a same room, shared meals, sat together in classes, but say no words to one another, at least for Glinda. Before bedtime, Elphaba would sit on the pink bed and faced with the back of her love, trying to convince the blonde to let her in those memories. Elphaba has no idea why the blonde didn't speak to her, didn't accept her request, that's understandable, but ignored her entirely; that must be something else. The green girl sat weakly under the apple tree in the agriculture zone not far from her dorm, avoiding her room when Glinda was there.

"You should talk to her, you know?" the sweet voice spoke beside her.

"Please, stop popping up from nowhere." Elphaba said to the time keeper.

"Awwwwwww…my little green, don't be so upset. I'm here to help you!"

"I don't want you to come. Something bad might happen if you're here."

"You believe in my reputation then! Well…they have good memories though." Hora said with a sly grin.

"What do you want, Hora? Sorry, but I'm not in the mood."

"Always strange to the point…how boring you are. Alright, I will tell you that something might happen to Glinda if you're here."

"That's just for mocking me, right? NOT FUNNY." Elphaba gritted her teeth.

"Same structure with you, but no, I really mean it." Hora said in a firmer voice.

"What's wrong, what happen!?" Elphaba jumped up from the ground sweeping her books in her satchel.

"She's going to the Animals camp tonight, alone; I'm with her too, literally."

"What? Where? Isn't that dangerous? Why she's running for trouble like that!?...wait…her friend! She's going for her friend!..." She sped up her questions and mumbled all the way to her room.

"Oh please…too many for my slim mouth"

Hora complained out loud. She appeared not far from Elphaba a few feet away all the way to the gate of her dorm then stood out of nowhere in front of her to block the path.

"Elphaba, just think of a lovely way to persuade, to let you go with her, before walking in to that room, please, you didn't talk to each other for days, did you?"

This was harder than taking the hardest exam Shiz has ever created. Dark eyes caught a sight of ordinary flowers along the path, simple tone, and no any smell, so out of sight from everyone. She hurried to them and picked up randomly trying to balance it into a nice small bush, inserted some good sized of fern and grass around it. Elphaba fasten it with some reed she could find and showed her plain gift to Hora for a comment, with a serious look on her face.

"I promise her love for it."

No need to say more, Elphaba shouted back thank you and ran to her room. When she abruptly shoved the door in, she met with a figure stood formidable in its black satin cloak, dress in same color with swiftly look. Slight of blonde ringlet could be seen under the covered hood. Bright light shone in her right hand ready to cast a spell. Glinda jerked her head up to meet the visitor, but Elphaba didn't see anything except shadow and dim blonde hair. Even with that frighten look, the green girl felt that it's her Glinda.

"You can't go with me." Glinda said simply.

"Just because I don't need any more prove doesn't mean I can't go with you." Elphaba replied, hiding her gift at the back.

"You don't understand."

"That's why I need to go, so I can understand what you've been through, Glin."

In that time, Hora appeared behind Glinda and bowed politely, the witch was here now, not a college girl. Before Elphaba could say anything more, Hora gently waved her hand to her and acted like smelling something, so Elphaba slowly stepped closer, lower the dark hood to review the gorgeous face, and handed her a flossy bush.

"I love you, and I'm sorry for my stubbornness, but please, let me be that girl." Elphaba said staring at the blonde.

"What if you die…" Glinda murmured, averted her blue eyes.

"What's the different if you die?"

Glinda looked at her at last. Tear began to brim in her eyes. She accepted the bush from green hand, and chuckled quietly.

"It's just so you, Elphie. Thank you." Glinda kissed her gently before walking to their wardrobe and grabbed some thick black cloak for her. She prepared it since Elphaba still required any prove.

"Thanks for bringing her to me, Hora." Glinda smiled at the time keeper.

"Well…I adored your love, master." Hora turned to Elphaba and winked at her. Glinda settled her flower on the bed and walked to them whispering something to her hand.

"Ready Elphie, Hora?"

"Since the day I met you."

"Since the day I served you." Hora copied the green girl, and that made said girl groaned out loud.

Glinda smiled at them, a bit shy at Elphaba's answer, and with a snap, they all vanished from their room sweet room.

* * *

Bright light blinded Elphaba's eyes for a while. She felt a cold wind cut all over her body even with a quite thick cloak. Glinda reached for Elphaba's hood and covered raven head for her before took care of her own. They stood in the damp forest, with large trees and lots of vine. The sun was going to sleep soon, gleamed its weak orange light. Hora's nowhere to be found, but that didn't worry them much.

"Where're we Glin?"

"Northern from Shiz, I guess Dillamond went his business trip here. We came here before, in the future I mean, but after the Emerald city was taken. They moved to city, and they left the monkey die, for they didn't follow any orders. Chistery told us about this."

"So, lots of Animals're here now."

"I guess so, but I don't think we took so long. I planned to let our friends out and spied on their army a bit then we go back."

Glinda lead her green girl deeper for around five minutes when they heard a louder voice. They stopped behind a big sharp rock looking into the large camp. There're hundreds of tents and many of residences were cottages made of wood and hay. From what they saw, it was like a huge refugee camp that full with weapons: guns, arrows, spears, and more. Most of Animals carried it with them; even bird has an iron beak tucked under wings. Around the camp was a low wood fence, easily to climb over. Elphaba walked at the outside of the fence for a while till she's in the back zone of it, guess from the old cottages and few of ripped tents. It was a meadow part of the camp, wide open with strong wind. Not far from the collapsed house, iron cages were placed on high grass, sounds of shaking bars could be heard clearly. They crossed a short distance between forest and the ruin house. Winged monkeys locked up in the cages, nearly hundreds of them jumping and screaming at each other. They have wings, large and big.

"No…it can't be…" Elphaba said in shock.

"Dr. Dillamond modified their genetic, for spy. He needs them for news, and they're the best messenger." Glinda explained softly looking for her friend in the cage.

"Chistery!" Glinda called out. The said monkey whipped her head at the blonde and moved closer. Glinda hugged him through the bars and told him about her plan.

"Chisty! Uh no no…Chistery, I'm going to let you out...out of the cage, yes!, you have to bring your friends to the North, fly two days - nonstop. There's a safe cave in the waterfall, live there, and I will meet you later, alright." The monkey seemed to understand and screeched out to his herd.

Elphaba kneeled beside the blonde and patted the small furry head kindly. Her eyes full with tear.

"They'll be alright, Elphie."

"They're no different, animals – Animals, same race, how can he...stoop so low." Elphaba thought about her teacher and let tear drop for the first time in many years. Glinda stepped back from the cages bringing Elphaba with her, shot her hands, and flicked small wrists up. The front bars exploded out into pieces. Chistery screamed again and spread his wings. His friends flew up in the air heading northward, but Chistery didn't follow. He caught Elphaba and Glinda hands in his and waved them up and down.

"Looks like he doesn't want to go."

"That, I expected. Let's get out of here Elphie. I think I see enough."

Glinda whispered a transporting spell on her hand again while running to the outer camp, making move to the old fence.

"How he can gather many Animals, I wonder. It's too many, too many to be real."

"You said this before, but we've never get the answer."

They nearly reach the dark forest when Chistery screeched out in frightened. The flash yellow light lashed at them, but brighter white one struck back instantly, still, they all flew back for a few meters from spell's impact. The witch's the first who stood up; her hood fell out showing her flowing blonde hair. She gazed around dreadfully, bright light shining in her hands. When his body caught her eye, she threw her arm up, and glistering light blades dashed to her attacker. It slashed out part of his shirt piercing through many trees, and he, who hid in the shadow of the forest amazed with his opponent. The witch didn't have any patient to play hide and seek. She kneeled down on the grass and lit fire on top of its leaves from her heated light. The white flame shone up immediately, and she tossed it to the first bush she saw in the forest. The sound of chapped wood burned her enemy ears, and he, shredding his fired shirt out, showed himself in front of the higher bonfire.

The man with middle range white hair, soft beard on his lower face and cheeks, tally stood, bare foot. His body was perfectly shape, strong muscles set in pack under his wide chest, and long legs with plain black trousers which was a bit burn now. Dark gray eyes looked at her with interest, small smirk on his thin lips. He was very handsome actually, intensive way. The witch scanned him carefully while whispering a spell to her fists and touched her palms on the green ground. This's going to be a boom boom party under the moonlight.

* * *

Elphaba thought she just struck by a thunder light; she grasped the shaking monkey in her arms before she was crashed to a middle sized rock hidden in the taller grass. Chistery cried out in annoying voice trying to wake her up, and she found that his hands pressed hard on her side head. First thing she saw with blurry eyes was her own blood, lots of it on Chistery hands, and it ran down on her left cheek. Elphaba couldn't move, the pain shot up and it's so difficult to even blink her eyelids. In her numb and blurry senses, she heard a sound of thunder everywhere, flash light fast in her half opened eyes, and the smell of smoke. _Light…Glinda _with her dizzy realization, she finally moved her head a bit to observe things around her. She met with a light explosion on her right, and there her love stood, panting and wounded. She saw blood for a moment from the spell's flash, but she's not sure where, for the blonde's in her black dress, and the spells were too fast from her condition right now. Anyway, Elphaba heard another voice, a familiar two voices along with noisy shouts; across the meadow she saw fire from torches and her teachers – Dr. Dillamond and Madam Morrible looking at this magic war with grin on their face. Disappointment flashed in her mind, some part of her hoped it's not true. Then Glinda's fighting form filled her heart, wild blue eyes, gritted teeth, shaking from injury and cold wind, and for the first time in her life that she understand the feeling of _hate_. _She hated them with all her green being._ They're coming this way, and this's worse, indescribable worse than ever. Elphaba realized that she had to do something to fetch them away. A few feet from her right, placed a ruin house, so she tried to walk there with her weight on Chistery. Every strategy she used to read in the book was digging up in her head; finally, she grabbed a dusty long wood and examined it thoroughly.

"Chistery, there's armory here, right?"

He nodded his head fast before lift his hands up with two fingers.

"Good…" handed the winged monkey a green fired log

"_Burn them all_"

* * *

All went wrong – her rescue plan. _Who is he?_ So powerful…so unlimited. The witch's never fought with a real wizard like him before. She used to fight some of them, but no one really called as magical. Critically, she couldn't win this man. He struck her with ancient spells, same as written in the Grimmeries, without afraid of over destruction. The witch herself fought back with the same series of lighting spell too, or else she would be dead since the first blow. Fearfully, _where is Elphaba_, lost in the field or died from the widespread spells, so she casted the brightest light she's ever had aiming at her enemy, followed by the spell she once dare not to use - _Blinding spell. _No one can protect these two spells perfectly, even him, but surely he wouldn't give up his eyes to the darkness easily; still she hoped he would. Her spells hit him directly at his face, but he blocked some of it with yellow light shield like she predicted. That's enough for her. The witch transported herself to the old barn, quite far from the meadow, she guessed. She needed space to think, and her spell brought her here. Her left upper arm got a huge cut from her own light blade. That man has a various kinds of shield – obviously, protector type; different from her – she was a combat one.

BOOM!

A very loud explosion reached her ears, and emerald fire started to alight. _Elphaba…,_ the witch ran as fast as she can, nonstop till she met with the great fire consuming all over the place, tents, cottages, and what looked like an armory which was now blow into pieces from gunpowder. It's like a center of the camp here, where everyone could get their weapon equally. Animals rushed around in chaos trying to put out the fire, but before she could do anything, a thick light wall produced by lots of brick crashed to her side forcefully, thrown the witch to the other side of the burning square. Something might be broken. The witch began to breathe harder, struggled to take a gulp of air - worn-out on the floor.

"_Moonlight trap, _that's very hard to perform. You are incredible my lady."

His voice was deep, but sweetly soft opposing with his look. The white man said in praise and motioned to his left side, from head to toe. Many ugly burns and deep cuts decorated on his good shape.

"Nice to meet you, Glinda Upland."

And he sent light giant sword to her. Glinda, who already prepared a spell on her hand, painfully shoved it out and released her last chance, yet nothing happened. Their spells gone, disappeared in the air. By Glinda's surprise and relieve, the time keeper's there in front of her, eyes full with dangerous rage. The white man looked more shock and stepped back shakily.

"_ENOUGH_"

Hora groaned out in deep anger. She waved her hand, and a rusty anchor shot up from the ground binding him with its heavy chain and dig its huge head deeply, buried under their feet. The time keeper lashed her arm up and another rusty chain darted out to confine both hands and legs. The white man was forced to his knees when the last smaller chain dragged his neck down.

"Enjoy your stay" Hora said cruelly

Moving quickly to her master, she mildly carried Glinda up on her back, laced Glinda's arms and legs on her body before kissed her cheek softly.

"I'm sorry master, come on…let's get your Elphie."

Glinda hugged her neck loosely and let conscious strayed away from her at last.

* * *

***Thanks for reading! If you have any idea about form of spells, you can share it! ^-^***


	11. Chapter 11: Seen and Unseen love

**Note# Wicked's not mine. I'm just admirer.**

**Dear Varia - Glad that you like it!  
Dear Crzyratlady - Thanks so much, I'll try my best!  
**

**If there's any mistake, I'm really sorry. Nobody around me fall in love with writing, so I have to work all of this alone. Sadder that no one interested in Musical either. I'll do my best, hope you enjoy my story. ^-^**

* * *

Chapter 11: Seen and Unseen love

To the other side of the camp, Elphaba ran as fast as her brain could muster. Dizziness still dominated all of her senses. Her destination was the furthest armory opposite to the meadow. She was quite sure that most of gun powder and heavy weapons must be kept there to prevent the possibility of blowing up in the middle of the army. She knew her ex-teacher well enough to tentatively speculate the camp's map. The green girl didn't trust her new winged friend to put it on fire. It's too risk for him to get hurt from the flak if all he thought about was only to throw down the fire_._ The main camp wasn't far from the meadow much, and it's rather large, full with very near constructions and old fabric tents. Devil in her mind screamed at her to _burn them all _again and again like her order to the monkey, but the idea of being a mass murder since nineteen years old was too horrible to except. She tried to dodge out from every Animals sight that running speedy to the emerald flame that shot up to the night sky, until she saw a dozen of lions and wolfs. They all wore the same outfits, brown ripped trousers and loosely maroon shirt, carrying guns and bows, guarded a middle size wooden house. The only way was to shoot her magic at them, but _how_. She's never thrown some magic ball out like Glinda did, and lighting up the fire in their fireplace was too little to use in this situation. Her eyes caught the ground she kneeled on, her observation point behind the tent. They all stood on the dead grass. With that realization, Elphaba focused her power on her green hands and touch them on the ground till she smelled something burn. She used her boots to put down the fast spread emerald fire and repeated Morrible's lesson concerning about the first commotion at Shiz in her head. Imagine she's not pulling something in, and victorious smile fully plastered her face.

Armory unit did their job effectively. They surrounded the armory, weapons ready to shoot out, but even the best troops in the Land of Oz couldn't expect the huge fired tents thrown aggressively at them, followed by a friendly warning

"_Watch out, guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuys! It's hottttttttttttttttttttttttt!"_

Emerald fired fabrics and its supported stick flew up in the sky blocking their night scenery for a second and landed in front of their groups with a treated sizzling sound. The lifeless plant dangerously rose into angry flame and generously spread it out to its dead clan. Not over three blinks, the green girl turned her small battlefield into a green bonfire. No time to admire her throwing skill, Elphaba ran out as far as she could without rethinking. The loudest BOOM Oz's ever had in decades dragged every living thing in the area attention. Elphaba, buried under the pieces of blowing house and dirt, painfully crawled out to an open air. Luckily, she had a long stride and jumped into the stack of hay in time, or else she might be dead already. Elphaba slowly sat, laid her back on the messy hay that saved her life, and smiled weakly. _Now, their attention would be here. _She didn't know that Glinda's still fighting or not, but her guts told her that this armory's bomb show would brought them away. Elphaba thought of Hora, at least she wouldn't let her master die, with that idea, she started to move up to the outer camp. That's when she felt something dashed through her upper right chest and blood filled her throat that she had to cough it out before falling to the ground. A large bow was on the fair tigress paws, and Elphaba finally experienced the feeling of death coming to grasp her, sadly, that's not the worst part - the worst was _who _invited him.

Dillamond and Morrible arrived soon after that, and they madly scolded at the tigress for shooting at her. Morrible sent the tigress out of the way with her mini tornado, and hurried to look at the wound, but Elphaba wouldn't let them touch her that easily. With the last energy she had, she casted a flame surrounded her body and laid on her side watching them struggled to get in. She started to breathe slower; the pain became too much to bear.

"Elphaba! Let me in!" Dillamond shouted into the fire while Morrible ran around to find the water to create the spell.

"No…it's..true…wh..how…" but the green girl lost all feelings already. Only tear streamed down.

_Becka indeed tried to kill her. _She remembered the first time they met; Becka was her first friend in this injustice world. With Blonde roommate and stupid ignorance people, she found the tigress reading a book on the counter of the library. She smiled her big teeth to Elphaba every day, and the green girl finally lower her shield and spoke to her in a better manner. That's one of the best decisions in her green life. Then in the end, it's all pretenses to gain her abilities and trust. What's for?...obviously to spy her. That goat…what a clever move – librarian with a magical book warm. It's all true, with her teacher standing there in the army camp conspiring with Horrible Morrible. She doubted that Glinda knew about this, and _Glinda…dead or alive, or another one who left her on her own. Hora…keeper or god, or a puppet master._

Now, no any shield, no any wall, no any fortress…just a girl who cried her heart out for a reason she herself didn't understand waiting for her ending. Elphaba's breath began to catch in her throat, but in her blurry eyes she saw the back of Glinda standing in front of the green fire. Her blonde hair moved beautifully in the air. One hand hung on her body, but shinning with bright light, the other reached out and moved freely as if controlling something. Truth or hallucination, the green girl didn't know; all she thought was how far they were and how short of her arms to catch, to hold Glinda Upland. Why she's so useless, sank in blood watching the blonde, her pink blonde, jumped into the hands of the death. _No...not that blonde anymore, _and Elphaba cried harder with her own realization. _No, s_he's not her Glinda, though the green girl loved her so much, and _No,_ she's not her Elphie, for her Elphie must be the one who stood by her side. _Nobody's on the green thing side._

"Elph..a..g.t..up.! Hol…ur….the…I…..rrow…out"

She didn't understand any words; still, that blurry figure with an angelic voice continued her speaking. The greatest pain shot up on her chest, and it's like someone pulled her fresh out with it. Elphaba cried out loud in agonizing pain, but she felt the air was cooler, more sent to her wounded lung. The ground's softer, and everything seemed quieter. Elphaba painfully looked for Glinda, in a further range. She saw the real war, between Animals and their shadows. The most thrilled enemy was yourselves, and Glinda definitely made it true. Every Animals' shadow was under her spell. They fought with the similar black form of their own, the fight they would never win. Elphaba tried to stick her eyes to Glinda, but she lost her at some point. The green girl, even didn't know what really happen after she was shot, started to panic and jumped out to find her.

"No!…Glin!" but she was hold back by the same figure. She struggled to get out until she felt a familiar warmness on her back. Glinda, full with blood strain, embraced Elphaba from behind, but the green girl only felt it, for she lost her conscious at the moment she knew Glinda's there. The creamy arms locked the green body tightly before chanting the last spell in the air. _  
_

* * *

It's the moonless night; Glinda sat quietly beside the window thinking of the past. She brought Elphaba and Hora to her home town - Frottica, and sent Chistery to take care of his herd before anything wrong happened. Hora found him not far from the blowing armory; he tried to find Elphaba as she did too. Three of them hid in Glinda's childhood vacation cottage not far from the Uplands manor. It's a small place for the little girl Galinda to have some rest when she got sick with too much tradition and ballroom dance. She asked for this place as her birthday gift, surprisingly, there's no any pinkness here, only cream wallpaper and colorful flowers around territory. Her parents always said that it's too simple to be hers, but for the little girl, who wished to run away from everything, thought this was the best. On the white king bed size, Elphaba, with a very high fever and cool fabric on her forehead, has slept recklessly for three days. After they transported here by Glinda's spell. The blonde went to her personal doctor in the middle of the city begging him for help. For safety reason, Hora wiped out his memory about it after his treat. The time keeper stayed with them all the time after the fight. She even put a hidden spell around the house, promised that no one would know they were here. Glinda's injuries healed very fast; may be because of Hora's spell that she used to wake her up to fight the second round. Now, she's nearly full recovery though with a broken rips and arm.

"Are you alright, master?" angelic voice ringed up in the night.

"Yes, I'm good, Hora. Thank you very much" Glinda turned and answered in tired voice.

"You should get some sleep, and…um…I come to say that she's having a nightmare right now." Hora said mentioning to the green girl. Glinda jerked her head up and quickly walked to sit beside her love. Soon, Elphaba started to writhe on the bed struggling to get away from something.

"She's too weak to block my power."

"Elphie…Elphie, it's alright, shhhhhhh" Glinda tried to soothe her down, softly push her on the bed.

"She's dreaming about you…running after you until you're in her reach, but someone drags her down, and she watched hundreds of red eyes staring at you. All she can do is trying to crawl up and call your name…to look at her, to get her. No one's on her side, even you. You're so far away from her, master" Hora said, looked at her green friend worriedly

Elphaba squirmed harder and lashed out her arms fiercely. She cried out in pain, and her blood began to seep through the bandage on her chest. Glinda didn't know what to do, so she climbed behind her love, and hugged her close to herself pressing Elphaba body down on her. The green girl slowly stopped her struggle and with a heavy breath, calm down and cuddled Glinda's arms on her waist tightly. Glinda moved them into a more comfortable position and let her love laid her head on her shoulder. The blonde gently tangled her hand on the long raven hair, rocked the girl softly. With in a minute, Glinda started to cry and murmured her apology.

"It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself, master."

"She's never hurt this bad, not once." Glinda whispered softly, tear ran down

"For now, she's just nineteen, not that powerful twenty three years old that you think of most of the time, master."

"Hora...many times I ask myself…do I really love her…or do I love the one who's already dead many years ago." Glinda said in quivering voice

"That's why she can't reach you."

Glinda slowly turned her head up, and silently asked some explanation.

"You love Elphaba, master, both this younger and older. It's just that you love the other much more than the one lying here in your arms. Elphaba knows that, so she asked your permission to get in your memory because she wants to be that girl for you. All you think is that you're good enough for her, but master, you forget that she's not good enough for you, not enough to be on your side. She chose you all over anything as the other Elphaba did, so let her in."

Glinda hugged her love closer, brows furrowed strictly.

"If I let her in…she will lose her younger self. She will turn to be that serious girl who put the world on her back, and…"

"I know you don't want her to be suffer, but I believe in Elphaba. I believe that if you let this younger grown up by getting in your memories, she will be different. She will carry the best in her both primes. Master…let she loves you like you love her."

Glinda finally stopped crying and looked at the time keeper in deep concentration.

"But..."

"I promise her love for it" Hora interrupted, said in determination staring directly at her master eyes before continue

"And when I said my super super superb holy promise, it shall be done." Hora smiled brightly, and Glinda couldn't help, but laughed out a bit.

"You shouldn't hold her much longer. Her temperature will make you catch a cold." Hora pointed out and stepped closer to help Glinda lay the green girl down.

"Thanks, Hora" Glinda spoke out

"No, I'm sorry that I can't help more than this. There're rules I have to follow. Master, I can only interfere in any of your action, just when you're in great danger; something that will take your life before you pay the price. Please remember that I can't protect Elphaba like I did to you." Hora told her master in a serious manner that she's never seen before.

"I'll keep that in mind. Is there anything else I need to know?"

Hora stared into the crystal blue eyes before turned her head to see the creamy hand holding the green one gently. For many centuries that the time keeper hid her feelings, Glinda and Elphaba stayed side by side made she think of someone she should let go many centuries before. Now, it came back and broke her heart again.

"Hora…I'm sorry. Did I say something wrong?" Glinda asked in concern when she saw tear brimmed on her gray eyes.

"Nothing, master, just some old memory. I have to meet someone. Get some sleep, I'll be right back." Hora answered in her normal tone before disappear in the air, so Glinda crossed to the other side of the bed, changed the cold fabric, and tucked the green girl in. The blonde laid down and watched Elphaba sleeping form for a while before kissed her head sweetly and let sleep overtake her.

* * *

In the middle of the ashes square, full with burn marks and scraps, the time keeper stood calmly in front of her prisoner. No one in this whole universe could cut down her chain. No choice for those Animals and that fish woman, but to left him here. She looked at the white hair and ugly wounds on his left side, and waved her hand to release the chain on his neck. The white man slowly moved his head up to gaze into the gray eyes, only blankness painted on his jailer face.

"I'm so sorry, Hora. You know it needed to be done." The white man said in a deep voice.

"You nearly killed her!" Hora shouted at him. Her gray eyes darker in anger

"They need each other…I have to be the one who made them see. It's the best way, and you know it."

"It's just…I just…don't want her to get hurt." Hora said; her anger began to melt away by the unavoidable truth. All of his confinement's gone now, and he rose up to take the time keeper in his arms.

"I'm sorry. I know she means a lot to you." The white man softly cupped her cheek up and kissed her lightly.

"Is that hurt?...I'm just so angry that all I could think was locked you here!" Hora exclaimed

"I'll let the healer take care of it. She's very powerful, Glinda the good. I can't believe I fell on her trap." The white man praised the blonde with glistering dark eyes.

"What trap?, guess I followed Elphaba in that time." Hora said, examined the cut on his chest.

"She set _Moonlight trap_ since the beginning of the fight. She knew my element is also light, so our spells will block all the moon away until she shot me with her brightest light then all lights gone, Boom!."

"Lower your light guard because she stopped her spell? Your feet touch the moonlight zone which I'm sure was the whole meadow."

"Exactly, such a great plan! How lucky I am to be a protective type."

"Funny, you're immortal, Tyme"

"If not, I would be dead already. How are they anyway?" Tyme asked with his furrowed brow

"I can only heal Glinda, so Elphaba was a sleeping beauty stuck in her heartbreaking dream."

"And…Is Glinda alright with our magic combat?"

"Lots in her mind…I don't want to discover all of it yet." Hora said abruptly while drawing something in the air, trying to avert her eyes

"Hora…Glin.." Tyme caught her in the arm

"Don't say it…please" Hora said, her eyes started to full with tear. Tyme hesitated for a moment before spoke out in a smooth voice.

"_Glinda is not Renae, _so please…let go." Tyme kissed her forehead and held her close for a while before walked through the light gate that his keeper drew it for him. Hora didn't slip out any word to her husband though he looked at her in expectation, so when he didn't get any response he decided to step aside.

"You got my permission to heal Elphaba, as my apology to you, my love." Tyme said in a gentle voice.

"I'm sorry that I can't love you as much as I love her." Hora whispered quietly to the god of time. Tyme whipped his head back and smiled softly.

"At least you love me...that's enough for those who really love someone." The god of time said kindly and gone, leaving his wife to fall back in the old memories.

* * *

**Oh nooooooo, what really happen here? LOL Thanks for reading!, feel free to talk with me about the story!**


	12. Chapter 12: Mistakes

**Note# Wicked's not mine. **

**Thanks for reading everyone, and thanks more to those who gave me feedback. I hope you enjoy this chapter and more to come. Please leave any comment (or PM), if you have things to say to the story. **

****Special thanks to Sara (ScientificHooligan) for being my partner and editor in this story. You're very kind, and I wish you will enjoy walking with me through the long path.****

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Chapter 12: Mistakes

"_I'm limited"...sorry that..."I'm limited."__  
__I don't have the powers I once had when this began,__  
__so that I can do for you…is do the best I can._

_(Wicked workshop, Defying gravity (reprise) by Idina Menzel)_

"Elphaba…"

The green girl opened her eyes to find bright gray eyes staring at her. She felt something fall down from her head…a warm white fabric. Elphaba shot up immediately, scanning around the creamy room, now wide-awake. A sharp pain screamed in her chest, like thousands of needles singing soprano in her wound. Her body was soaked with sweat, and she suddenly realized it was hard to breathe. Hora caught her before she fell off the bed tormented by a sudden ache, and carefully pushed her down on the mattress.

"Your fever has just broken, sorry that I can't heal your chest much more than reducing infection. I'm not a healer type" Hora said, her brow furrowed a bit, and continued wiping Elphaba's sweat from her face. She reached for a glass of water and slowly forced her green friend to drink. Elphaba coughed up most of it and breathed heavily, worn-out on the soft bed.

"Don't move; you've got a hole in your lung, so please, stay still and just try to breathe properly!" Hora scolded at her in high voice.

"Don't speak either" She said again when Elphaba opened her mouth to say something.

"And don't look at me like that" She said out loud when Elphaba tried to argue via her dark eyes.

"Master is sleeping in the next room. She didn't get a good sleep since you passed out. Four days, and yes! She's alright and nearly full recovery."

Elphaba frowned and slightly tilted her head to the side.

"Oh…she got a huge cut, broken arm and ribs. HAHA I don't think you can take care of her when taking oxygen is your issue right now."

Elphaba shot up one eyebrow, a bit wide eyed.

"It's fun to read your mind. Interesting things in it; you are really nerd, aren't you?, lots of useless information in your head. You don't have to use it in real life, why bother to study every line in the book!"

Elphaba rolled her eyes in a 'whatever, just leave me be' way while Hora was drifting in Elphaba's both pensive and positive thoughts - amusingly wandered around them till she jerked her head up and flashed Elphaba her prevailing smile.

"Wow…This I agree though…her 'loving' skill was really so damn hot." Hora emphasized the last three words with admired bright eyes.

Elphaba let her jaw drop and breath catch in her throat for a while looking at Hora with an unbelievable face.

"You can't burn me with your eyes, not now anyway…Oh please…I won't tell her about that. Don't be shy; it's true!" Hora enjoyed teasing her for a few more minutes before releasing her green friend from embarrassment and chanted some spell on Elphaba's wound. Elphaba caught a glimpse of Glinda at the door, but the spell dragged her to a deep sleep before she could have a chance to voice any sound.

"Did she wake up?" Glinda said quickly sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Yes, master…but I put her to sleep. This is the last healing spell I could give to her. I'm not a skilled healer, so nothing more I can do."

"Thanks so much, Hora. You didn't break any rule to help her, right?"

"No, there's…an extra rule in this case. Don't worry about me, please." Hora said softly

They both walked out of the room and sat down quietly on the white couch continuing their plan for the coming war. Time flew until the clock's hand walked pass twelve in the night, Hora stood up to softly send her master to sleep. To Glinda's surprise, she caught the blonde's hand in her own before she took her in the arms and held her tight. Glinda was a bit taken aback by this sudden reaction. She _should_ step back, but some small sound in her heart told her to stay, to absorb gray tenderness just a bit, to sink in gray embrace just a bit more. Their intimacy stirred something in her existence – something felt like a touch of the sunrise; her scent, like fresh dew before dawn. Glinda, losing to the voice within, slowly laced her arms to the keeper's waist and pressed her face on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry…" Hora whispered, closing her eyes to sense the heat from creamy body.

"For holding me, right?" Glinda replied playfully. The keeper didn't say a word. They stayed like that for a while till Glinda finally said something.

"Thank you for everything" She said in a quiet voice on the keeper's shoulder. Hora turned to touch the soft blonde hair. With her height, half of her face perfectly nuzzled to the gorgeous face. The keeper just held her tighter, silently nudged the blonde hair in a longing manner, shut her eyes close - no word, no more intimate movement.

"In the camp…before you passed out, I put you on my back and I…I kissed you on the cheek." Hora murmured on the blonde head.

"You did?, on my cheek isn't a big deal, on my lips is" Glinda chuckled lightly

"I shouldn't, not even a single touch…"

"Then why are you holding me now?" Glinda pulled back just a little to stare in the piercing gray eyes.

"Because you're always irresistible" Hora replied softly touching her forehead to the blonde. For Glinda, this was so familiar - the feeling when Hora's bridge nuzzled with her own, the way those eyes sought for acceptance and those little opened thin lips silently asked for permission; to touch and to taste. "Glinda…if I stay close to you, my power will steal you from her…" Hora whispered to Glinda's mouth. "I'm sor…"

Hora was cut off by a sweet kiss from the pink lips, and she kissed her back instantly. Their kisses become hotter, and Glinda forgot all the things around her, _forgot_ _Elphaba_. Hora's touch was so gentle; her kisses on the blonde's neck and collarbone took away her breath. They laid themselves on the couch with Hora on top, and Glinda couldn't help herself, but to lead Hora's hand to caress her body. Delicate finger nearly touch her inner thighs when some firm voices echoed in their heads.

'_She is not Renae.'_

'_She is not Elphaba.'_

They both opened their eyes in shock and jumped away from each other immediately, breathing heavily. Glinda covered her face and head with her hands, still in shock from her own actions. Hora stepped back to the furthest side of the room and bowed just a little and said in shaking voice.

"Master…I will be back when Elphaba wake up."

Glinda shook her head a bit, still plastered with a red blush on her face. Hora didn't wait for her acknowledgment. The time keeper has already disappeared in the air. Glinda quickly dashed into Elphaba's room looking at her with tears in her eyes. It streamed down uncontrollably. The feelings, Hora's like the sun, her radiant and warmth - so comfortable and familiar, and she just betrayed Elphaba by enjoying its grace and taste. Why did she kiss her in the first place; the question that make Glinda's heart drop to her feet. _What just happened?_

"Oh no, what just happened…"

(-)

Three more days until Elphaba retrieved her consciousness. She woke up in the dull late afternoon; rain clouds hovering over their cottage since the morning time, but still too lazy to pour down any drop of water. Greeted by a light kiss from Glinda and a warm cuddle on her head, Elphaba curled her lips into a tired smile before rest her forehead to the blonde. Glinda's scent made she want to take another long peaceful sleep.

"How do you feel?" Glinda asked, slowly traced the raven hair

"…hurt, I guess." Elphaba replied weakly, able to take more of the air.

"Your wound looks a lot better. You might be able to walk in two days."

Elphaba painfully sat up and lay on the headboard with Glinda's help. It's great that her head didn't hurt anymore.

"You're alright, Glin?"

"Don't worry about me, I'm perfectly fine."

"Where are we? Looks too comfy for refugees." Elphaba said as she chuckled a bit. They talked about the campground incidents around half an hour till Hora appeared at the other side of the bed carrying flowers in her hand. She wore a short robe, color matching with her gray hair, glistering softly when she moved. The time keeper looked dazzling today.

"Sorry, I'm late! There's a marriage up there in my world, and I didn't expect it before. Ahhhhhhh God's staff!" She said in a bored tone arranging colorful flowers in the vase that she grabbed with her and placed it on the bed table.

The room turned into a cemetery after those words. Some uncomfortable atmosphere floated around the room, mostly coming from Hora and Glinda. Elphaba seemed to sense the change from the blonde, so she spoke up about dinner, which was one of the most ridiculous things she's ever said to light up the mood. It worked anyway, when Glinda dodged out to prepare their meal avoiding any nearness with the time keeper.

"Did I miss something here, Hora?" Elphaba stared and pressed her gray friend.

"Well…I guess I destroyed your romantic moment!" Hora pointed out with a huge grin on her face.

"Something happened between you two, didn't it? What's wrong here?"

"Oh please, don't be so pessimistic. Nothing's wrong, alright? Just continue proper breathing!" and she disappeared again with the smile that didn't reach her eyes.

(-)

Nearly a week later, Elphaba finally walked comfortably without hurting anywhere. Since she had a strong power that could resist Hora's spell, the recovery result from healing spell was less effective compared with Glinda. The green girl sat on the rock beside the lazy creek, behind the cottage, thinking about the past week after she had woke up. Obviously, Glinda had changed. She kept her distance with both Elphaba and Hora, carefully choosing every word she said, and spent most of her time with herself; even Elphaba couldn't break through her wall. The clock is ticking, and they must do something. There's not much news from the Animals side. Glinda went back to the camp three nights ago without Elphaba's knowledge to find some movement, but nothing progressed, except that there were more troops. This made Glinda thought profoundly and thought harder when Elphaba scolded her fiercely because of her foolish spying bravery. Most of the time, Elphaba stuck firmly to the reality of her current situation. The only thing she had left was Glinda, not to mention her (really) beloved family. With the reason she didn't know how to explain, she felt like she's going to lose the blonde somehow, so she moved up from the slippery rock and walked back to the cabin. After her bedtime routine, she brought Glinda to their bedroom and sat face to face with her.

"Glin…I think I'm ready." Elphaba spoke out, looking directly to her blue eyes

"No, you're not…" Glinda replied

"We don't have time to waste anyway. Anything could happen; they know you possess a great power. We must move on."

"To where? Elphaba"

"You called me Elphaba for the whole week."

"It's your name!"

"Not from your mouth"

"Oh! Enough! I've already had too many things to consider."

"Am I one of those things?"

"Of course you are! More than anything!"

"Glin, why don't you just speak it out? What's in your head? You…you acted like no one's here with you! What are you running from?"

Glinda jerked her head up to meet the dark brown eyes that she didn't dare to look at for the past week.

"I cheated on you…" Glinda said firmly, tears brimmed in her eyes

"You…what?" Elphaba frown strictly, asked in a quiet tone.

"I cheated on you. I...don't know why, I...I was…captivated by her…and, and we couldn't stop kissing. I didn't want it, not a single touch, but…but there's something. Something I couldn't resist. Everything felt familiar, it's like the feelings when I'm with you, just…just…different. Different in…OH! In what? GRACE? It's like being with fire and being with the sun! I don't know how to explain, and we didn't…we didn't cross the line!" To Elphaba it's like the sky crumpled down. Numbness swallowed her limbs and heart. There it was again, the unstoppable commotion in her green life. _Where did she go wrong? What evil thing she's ever done? _Those explanations didn't help anything. It's not even a proper sentence. Elphaba couldn't slip out any words; she just stared at Glinda with her jaw fallen down. "I love you…I'm sorry Elphie. I'm so sorry." The blonde cried out and continued her weeping. She knew her confession would melt down the last willingness in Elphaba's life.

Her name from Glinda's tongue was not the same this time, and may never be the same for a long long time, so this was her green life – losing her pink roommate, her pink best friend, her pink lover in one night a month earlier, and now losing another version of those people in one damn night. The green girl let her tears fell down, and cried her heart out on the floor at the end of the bed. This was the absolute curse of d_on't know what to do_. Her plan was to get in Glinda's memories and gain the knowledge of what she lost in the future. But for what now? For this blonde girl who broke her heart into millions pieces, as if a hole in her chest was not wide enough? Glinda was the first who climbed up from her regret. She kneeled in front of Elphaba and begged her to get on the bed, for it's too cold on the floor. Elphaba lifelessly followed the instruction and lay on her side turning her back on the blonde.

"Elphie…I love you, and I understand if you won't believe anything in this world again, but please believe me. I will let you see…even just a part of it, and maybe…maybe you'll forgive me for this." Glinda lay down beside her and touched her palm on her head before murmuring something. Elphaba felt like she was yanked into dark spiral, so strong that she forgot to resist.

"Please forgive me…" Glinda whispered to the unconscious Elphaba before letting herself fall down on the green girls chest, and followed Elphaba into her darkest memory.

(-)

It hurt. Something very sharp cut her body, not deep, but all over her skin. She struggled to get out of something covered with fur, and she felt like she couldn't breathe. There's a dark fur hand covered her mouth and what looks like wing blocking around her body. Something slashed her legs, and then she realized that she's in the middle of thorns with a winged monkey judging from what she could see. She's looking directly at the little square in the forest. No one's there and she still didn't stop struggling. _Elphie! Elphie! _She's calling her own name in her head all the time until she saw herself in the square, pushed down on her knee by her once well-known friend, the tall tigress that even looked fiercer and rougher than the day she shot her mercilessly at that Northern camp. _Fear _ran in her mind, only fear she felt, so great that she's shuddering by its intensity. The tigress said something to Elphaba, words that sent a mocking smile on her face. The girls among the thorn knew that expression too well. It happened all the time when Elphaba irritated someone, but now it was different, since that smile was just a pretense for something bigger. Pink and green girl realized that the process was done; shooting more fear to their hearts, struggling to get out harder, tear streamed down. _No! Elphie! Please please don't, don't _Elphaba stared into her own dark brown eyes, only regret she saw, and the expression that asked for forgiveness. She felt stronger fear and it's like her heart's going to stop pounding until the white teeth buried in the green neck, that she screamed her heart out. Her heart stopped beating, her world ceased to exist, even her time let go of ticking. Nothing more she could feel when she watched herself fell down the ground. The tight hold and hand on her mouth slowly withdrew, and for a while she just stared at her own corpse with blankness. When she felt the arms released her, she ran to her own body kneeling hopelessly on the dirt. There's no tear, only numbness, pain, and unbearable truth she knew she couldn't accept. There's no heart anywhere inside her. There's nothing in her head either, not even _Elphie_…_nothing_

(-)

Glinda was on her chest, still unconscious. Elphaba stared at the ceiling with too much emotion to bear, so this was what getting in other memories felt like – Felt like them, just like she's there herself, experienced every sense. Elphaba's just been Glinda when she was killed, no doubt why Glinda denied her request in the first place. Elphaba felt Glinda shifted her head up to look at her, silently asked for her reaction.

"So…one of the most powerful witches of Oz died by a tiger bite." Elphaba breathe out

Glinda didn't say anything back, just continue staring.

"And I let you see me die…I let you live alone till the day you came back for me…"

Glinda frowned and cried softly, unable to say.

"But now you've almost had sex with an unforgivable goddess…" Elphaba hissed through her gritted teeth.

Glinda held Elphaba tighter hiding her face in the crook of her neck. They stayed quietly for a moment till Glinda spoke.

"_Almost_ have, but you _have_ sex with Fiyero in the library back then in the time I had not rewritten."

"What!?" Elphaba whipped her head asking with a high voice

"That's why I broke up with him, so I can keep you close to me."

"You're going to say that we're even now, aren't you?" Elphaba looked at the blue eyes with the wide brown one.

"What do you think, my savior?"

"I don't know…maybe I need some evidence to see how truthful it is."

"I can show you. I think you would love to be me when I heard your whimper and shakily walked to find out what position you both were."

"YOU found us yourself?" Elphaba asked with wider eyes

"Here, let me show you." Glinda reached her hand to touch her head again, but the green girl tilted her head out of the way.

"No, thank you!"

Glinda laughed out a bit before she cupped Elphaba's face in her hands speaking directly to her

"I'm sorry, Elphie."

Elphaba pushed the blonde up to the same level, turned on her side, and held her closer playing with the soft ringlets.

"I'm sorry too, my crazy princess"

Glinda smiled brightly with teary eyes tracing the soft green cheek with her thumb before she caught the dark lips with her own pink. Elphaba kissed back longingly smiling into her lover's mouth.

"Will you get in my head again? There's a lot if you want to see" Glinda asked after a long sweet kiss.

"No, my love, I didn't think that getting in memories meant truly reliving them. I only heard about the spell, and the book I read had no real detail."

"It's a tough spell for those who use it. You can lose yourself when being someone else for too long."

"I will ask Hora about this. There must be other way to get your Elphaba here in me."

"You are my Elphaba."

"That Elphaba is more _yours_ than I am."

"Oh, you mean green thing! But I don't think asking Hora is the best idea though."

"Why?"

"Even she can help you, there'll be the price. Making deal with the god is not fun, Elphie."

"Why the price?"

"If she can help you, which I'm sure she can, she will use her power. Asking for god's power always cost something."

"What is your cost, Glin, for coming back?" But Glinda only gave Elphaba a long silence until she replied softly. "I don't know, Elphie...it might be too great for me to pay."

Elphaba shut her eyes tight from that answer. She nuzzled her nose to Glinda's face and kissed her eye softly.

"Don't worry…if it's too great for you to pay…I will pay it with you."

Glinda smiled gently from her love's determination.

"Fresh dreams my love." Elphaba said and tugged themselves in the blanket

"Yes…_flesh_ dream" Glinda whispered huskily to the dark lips and there's no hole in any of her chest or heart when the gorgeous blue eyes fulfilled it with love and tender caress.

(-)

"Elphieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" the high voice attacked Elphaba's ears in the following day. Elphaba sleepily rolled on the bed and met with the beautiful face of Glinda, which seemed to glow brighter from sunrays. She's already in her light blue dress with a white lace on her short sleeve and edge of the knee length skirt. It's quite modest and cheerful at the same time.

"You're in your dress…that's a surprise." Elphaba pointed out slowly

"Why, Elphie, want me to get out of my garment?...or undergarment too" Glinda whispered the last part into her ear and nib it gently. Elphaba grinned wickedly and pulled the blonde to lie on top of her locking her in her arms.

"What's the special occasion, my crazy princess?"

"Nothing actually, I just…well…don't be mad at me, but I went out to the central town of Frottica to buy our food and for…this."

Glinda bared her delicate hand to show two thin shining silver bracelets with Gillikin rose pattern crafted on it. It's a classic handmade silver craft that surely spend many months to complete. Glinda lifted the green hand up and placed it on top of hers and the silver accessories before chanting quietly on their hands. Within a minute, the bright light and luminous green escaped from their fingers. Glinda kissed the green hand tenderly before showing her the same silver craft, but with a different glowing light in its deep pattern – white and green magic highlighted the rose and its vine. Glinda put the white one on Elphaba's left wrist and put the green one on her own right. It looked simple, but elegant.

"Do you like it?" Glinda turned her gaze from their wrists and looked at her love

"I love it…thank you so much, Glin" Elphaba replied breathlessly, tear brimmed in her eyes. The first gift ever in her green life was more valuable than she could imagine. Glinda turned on her back motioning for their favorite position, and Elphaba complied, rested herself on the headboard and took the blonde in her arms lacing their fingers. The bracelets shone its gleam beautifully.

"It'll shine like that all the time?"

"Only when we're very close to each other." Glinda answered, admired their magic combination happily

"So…an apology gift, Huh? You crazy girl"

"More like a gift of promise, you mean green thing." Glinda scolded lovingly and turned to kisses the green cheek

"Since I had a heated kiss with the goddess, I think I should make up to you more than usual. Elphie…I admit I feel a strange connection to her, with the reason I can't explain, but I wanted you to know that I didn't cast the forbidden spell just to come back and leave you for someone else. Please, believe me" Glinda said in a serious manner squeezing the green hand tight. Elphaba curled her lips into a small smile and closed the gap between them, and kissed her with all her heart.

"That's the best explanation I've ever heard from you." Elphaba laughed out loud and kissed the blonde's shoulder gently. They held each other for a while, and the green girl became lost in her thoughts from last night memories. _She chose to die. _Why?

"Glin…How powerful I am in the future?"

"Very much, though couldn't compare with me right now"

"But I chose to die when there were hundreds of trees and enemies around us. How is that possible? Why I didn't just burn them? I'm sure I'm smarter than giving up that easily."

"That…I don't know Elphie. I'm not a strong girl like I'm now, so many times that I can't see through your plan." Glinda said, trying to think of the reason behind that surrender, but nothing popped up. Elphaba just let herself die as she pointed out. Was that the only option she really had?…Glinda just realized that question when it long passed.

(-)

Hora came back to them the next day, more quiet than usual, and intended to check on them before leaving again, but the green girl didn't let the keeper go that easily, for she had something to know first. She grabbed Hora's arm right before she could disappear again, and dragged her to sit on the couch with her and Glinda.

"Wait, please Hora, I knew about that night, and it's alright, so please don't act like a stranger any longer." Elphaba said calmly patting the keeper's shoulder.

"How could you accept that!? By ancient God, I nearly slept with your lover!"

"I don't accept what you did. I accepted what Glinda explained to me, so if you want to mend your action. You should better start explaining too."

"I can't…it'll break the rules."

"What rules?"

"Rules about 'how much god can associate with mortal', and I can't tell you for it's not a part of my duty or concerning with any arrangement, so just know that I didn't mean to do it. My master either, it's not her fault." Hora said in a louder voice. It's the first time that her angelic voice turned into aggressive hard one.

"Then it's alright, Hora. Elphaba won't mention it again, right Elphie?" Glinda said directly to the green girl, carefully choose her words. Elphaba nodded her head slowly; nothing she could do anyway. It's beyond her power.

"I'm sorry…master, Elphaba. I didn't mean to lose my control like that. It's just I hate to think about it again. Please forgive me" Hora said in her normal tone, furrowed her gray brows together.

"Don't worry about it, Hora. Let say we're good now. Um…do I have to shake her hand Glin?" Elphaba turned to ask, shot up one of her eyebrow

"Awwwwwwww you said you're a good student, didn't you? Why turn to ask?" Hora smirked, using her teasing voice again. Elphaba smirked back and walked to sit with Glinda.

"You have something to ask, Elphaba?" Hora pointed out

"You can still read my mind now? Elphaba said curiously

"No, but I still can with my master."

"That's strange…Elphie is powerful, and I'm powerful. Why you can read mine not her?"

Glinda finally asked after a long time of considering. The chance came now, and she chose to take it.

"I…am…sorry that I can't tell, my master." That was an expected respond, but it didn't stop Glinda from being irritate. Hora smiled in an apologetic manner pleading for understanding via her gray eyes.

"Is there a way to access to the memories of the future me? Hope it's not against any of your sacred regulation." Elphaba straightly asked the keeper.

"Elphie, behave" Glinda warned sternly. Hora gave them a warm smile before sat quietly for some thoughts before hesitantly replying to the green girl.

"Yes, you can, but only through me since the forbidden spell already erased the existed future. As the time keeper, I have a tome that collects every second in the world. If you want to know what the future Elphaba knew, you have to make a deal with me, then I will help you get what you plan for."

Glinda was stiff to the spot. _The Deal always comes with the price._

"There won't be any deal. Let go of your plan Elphie. Though knowledge is the best power you've got, you don't have to get it through yourself. I can let you in now; just learn our stories from my brain. Is that clear?" Glinda shot up from the couch and said strictly to Elphaba – command, in Hora eyes.

"No! There're things you didn't know, but _I _knew. How can we stop this civil war or whatever they planned by depending only on _you_. We need her. _I_ need her!" Elphaba blurted out uncontrollably and stepped closer to the blonde. Different light gleamed in rose vine pattern on their bracelets. How can so close became so far. Fire danced in their eyes, each refused to surrender.

"What's the deal?" Glinda asked in quivering voice, still staring into her love's dark eyes. Hora didn't want to voice it up, but her (definitely) unacceptable deal for Elphaba might lead to a better situation.

"I will take Elphaba to every important situation since the day after you got back - three months before the Emerald city's trip – on and on to the day Elphaba was killed, experienced by herself like she used to with you…"

"The price?" Glinda turned away from the couch and asked again ignoring her love gaze.

"The most valuable time from the green girl…_one night_ with Glinda Arduenna Upland, alone in private. It's you _spending time together_, so this arrangement must be accepted by you too, master."

_This was an unacceptable cost_, the named price sent ice to Elphaba's spine. Time with Glinda. _What kind of time?_

"Glinda's not for sale! What the H…"

"Deal"

Glinda's loud voice cut the green girl off. Crystal blue eyes shone bright coming with the judgment word.

"May I ask what we will do in our privacy?" Glinda said in icy voice turning to face Elphaba shocked form.

"Many part of it will be _kisses_" Hora said, bowed her head just a little

"Is the _price _clear enough, Elphaba? You said you need _her_. Here is the price, I will pay it for you; come on don't keep quiet. Take it or not?" Glinda hissed to her love in a dangerous tone challenging the green girl with her manner and lips curled into smirk. Elphaba stared directly into those beloved eyes, which now burned with rage.

"If you say so…deal" Tear streamed down on her green face, along with her bitter answer. Glinda dashed out of the cottage, and with a snap she's gone from their sight. After a minute, Hora left her green friend to herself, and disappeared again.

"Deal…" Elphaba whispered painfully in the air as if to repeat the biggest mistake in her life.

* * *

**Ooohhhhh What happened here again? lol, feel free to leave your comments! **


	13. Chapter 13: Behind the Name

**Note# Wicked is not mine. I just fall for its charm.**

**Hello my reader! Enjoyed writing this chapter because my editor and I LOVE it so much! She wrote a few shots in this chap too! Dramatic tag team, here we are. (I dare say she's better than me.) Sorry for late update though, I try my best as usual.**

**Sara, my editor and partner gave a great message to you too! **

**\- "Buckle up kids this chapter is a back-story roller coaster. (Also P.S. Sorry for delay this is what happens when we are on opposite sides of the world and I have been very busy working/researching and travelling.)"**

****We hope you would love it and share your comments** (can't wait for your feedback)**

* * *

Chapter 13: Behind the Name

Sitting on a comfortable sofa with a book on her lap, Elphaba stared directly at the front door of the cottage. She tried her best not to burn a hole in the thick wood with her gaze. It was almost noon now, Glinda was missing all night and nearly half of the day. More than ten times Elphaba jumped up and snatched the doorknob to wrench the door open and look outside but saw nothing except the green meadow and tall trees. This began to drive her insane and increased the possibility that Glinda was in danger. Two more hours and there's still no sign of her, then another half an hour when Elphaba finally lost her patience; she stepped out of the cottage with a tattered cloak around her and sat on the patterned slate in front of the door lighting little fireballs around herself for warmth. Elphaba leaned on the door and waited in a hopeless manner, clutching her head in her hands for a good measure of time, until the door behind her was pulled back harshly. She fell back lying flat on the floor with a loud 'oof!'. Elphaba's gaze met with crystal bright blue eyes looking down at her, contrasted by a small cut and blood at the end of her left eyebrow. "Glinda! What happened!?"

The blonde hastily turned around and walked away to tend her wound. Elphaba quickly got up and brought a first-aid box from the bathroom taking the necessary items out. Glinda didn't answer; she slowly sat down beside her love on the sofa and gathered her blonde ringlets out of the way, but Glinda didn't let the green girl touch her. She took the medicine and bandage to take care of it by herself. Elphaba felt even lesser when Glinda ignored her completely. A part of her felt angry, but another part felt guilty, so Elphaba stood up and walked out to sit on the cold floor of the patio. She didn't light her fire this time, just sat still and tried to handle the hardest thing that seemed to continually cause upheaval and confusion in her life – emotional matters. Would things get better after this deal?…after whatever happens in _one night_? Elphaba questioned herself again and again felt fresh tears in her eyes. The silver bracelet glowed brighter, and it caught her attention. Before she could do anything, her hands were lifted up, and the gorgeous blonde slid in laying her head on her lap. Elphaba hesitated, holding her arms aloft.

"Cold…" Glinda said quietly. Elphaba nodded and waved her hand; little fireballs floated nearby, heating the air and slate around them. Elphaba crossed her arms on her chest sitting silently. She lost herself in her thoughts until she felt Glinda's eyes on her, and that's when Elphaba laced green fingers with the creamy ones, caressing her head with the other and let her tears stream down at last.

"What happened?" Elphaba asked in shaking voice tracing gently over the wound.

"It's just an accident. I transported back here and a branch hit me."

"Where were you?"

"Back to our room at Shiz, I need something there." Her answer shocked Elphaba. She squeezed the blonde's hand tighter, put aside her anger, and calmly asked back.

"Get what?"

"Your green bottle and my wand."

"Seriously?"

"That's how we became friends and more in the first place..." Glinda paused before speaking with a mix of sarcasm and annoyance. "You willingly gave me to Hora! I'm so angry that I need something to remind me why I shouldn't just tie you to a chair and burn every book I could find in front of you." With a sigh, Glinda took a sober tone; "You know kisses could lead to some kind of 'exercise', right?" she started to speak louder, but remained still on Elphaba's lap.

"Not _willingly_, it's you who accepted the deal first, and I am aware what are kisses capable of…thanks." Elphaba quickly replied and pursed her lips to quiet her tongue.

"Well, you need _another green bean_, don't you? I just want to make you happy." Glinda fired her words.

"Well, you need _her_, don't you? I just want to make you happy too." Elphaba retorted back staring down at the blonde. The two women silently fought with their eyes even though they knew each other well enough to know that this was a ridiculous competition, still no one gave in. Finally, the green girl sighed and leaned down to capture the pink lips tenderly caressing creamy skin in a loving manner.

"I'm sorry…" Elphaba whispered to her mouth, and Glinda kissed her as an answer.

Once their lips parted, Glinda gently spoke, "You might want to get your green bottle back. It's important to you, so I jumped there without a second thought. Please understand…"

"Ohhhhhhhh, thanks again, but that's not important when I'm more concerned about your life!" Elphaba exclaimed, but Glinda ignored her and continued her spying news.

"They didn't move our things out, and Nessa is fine with Pfannee and Shen Shen. I think deep down she prays for you to come back, and I didn't hear anything about Dillamond and Morrible. Well…what's interesting is that Fiyero tried to find us, but I don't know if it's you or me that he cares about." Glinda chuckled lightly. Elphaba observed the blonde for a while, and noticed that she was very exhausted and obviously had something on her mind.

"Let's get some sleep, Glin" Elphaba pointed out, and moved to lift the blonde up.

"Hora will be here around six…I told her already that we'll do her agreement first – six in the evening till six in the morning. After that it's your turn to get what you want." Glinda said normally as if it's nothing. Elphaba helped her stand up, walking them inside, and tugged her into their bed. She didn't respond to that information. She then rested herself next to the beauty lying on a pile of pillows and looked at her.

"I never thought I would be that stupid in my whole life." Elphaba admitted painfully.

"No, don't think that…I might do the same if I were you because I used to be in your position – no power, no intellect, nothing. In our past life, I'm just your follower who lacks truly powerful abilities to help you; in the end…" Glinda almost faltered but caught herself to continue, "I might as well have been a little girl. If this decision, this new time, could make a better ending, could make us both leaders in the upcoming struggle… so be it. This is the best option we have now anyway."

"Gaining through losing…Arg! How I hate this reality." Elphaba cursed quietly

"Elphaba…Elphie, this night…just…for this night, please…let me go." Glinda said softly

"Just for _this night_…I'll let you go with someone else, humph!" Elphaba repeated bitterly, starting to cry again.

"Oh, and you're silly to wait for me at the door, you know." Glinda smirked ever so slightly as she steered the topic away from the matter of Hora.

"Why? I could easily see you if you're back! Not just from the window like when I was inside, but all around." Elphaba blurted out a little.

"If you can go anywhere with a few magic words on your hand, you still get in the house via the door?" Glinda raised one of her eyebrows and asked playfully.

"Uh…" Elphaba opened her mouth to argue, but was left speechless, and Glinda laughed out prettily.

"That's the most stupid thing you've ever done Elphie." Glinda said, still laughing, but shot up to drag her into a gentle kiss. "The sweetest thing also, my love."

(-)

Quiet as though a rigid statue, the time keeper arrived in front of the white cottage standing barefoot in a short black dress - half robe half night dress in appearance with soft lace under her skirt. Her long gray forelock was knitted in a braid, loosely fallen on her cheek. She let down the lower half of her hair and tied the other half up in a ponytail. How many centuries that she didn't dare wear this hairstyle? The keeper asked herself and sighed in relief. Behind the door, the two witches of Oz were already waiting for her. Elphaba conveyed a worried face, and it was like she couldn't breathe properly while the most gorgeous of them all was standing up and looking at Hora with furrowed brows.

"You…" Glinda breathed out slowly; Hora's piercing gray eyes and the different hairstyle made her look rougher and somehow younger. Hora walked to Glinda and gave her palm to the blonde when the clock struck six. She smiled to the blonde, and Glinda knew that it was a sad smile. How couldn't she recognize it on another when she lived with it for so many years after Elphaba's death? Glinda turned to look at the serious green girl for one last time and took the soft hand in her own.

"Let see _who_ we are, my princess" Hora leaned in and whispered; Glinda tilted her head up with a questioning glance, an inch between their lips then a flash of yellow light lit up suddenly leaving Elphaba to an empty room. The deal with the god began.

(-)

In the ancient Land of Oz, when no one was brave enough to cross the unforgiving desert into the unknown central lands, one kingdom stands robustly among many. It is great and powerful now, but they do not known their own fate… for they are destined to fall in order to bring a new age – This land is the kingdom of Manak, the land of minerals. The divine ones foresee that the refugees from this city will be the first Ozians who will ultimately create the new emerald prosperity in the inner land. Bound to make sure the universe advances as it should, Hora, the goddess of new beginnings or the 'time keeper', came down to fulfill her duty. Her task was to destroy the greatest kingdom in this era, the tools of _coincidence _and _human love_ would be enough even if she had to spend years to complete it. She disguised herself as human and spent a year in the royal guard protecting the crown prince of Wekan, The kingdom of the guardian - Prince Drako-nof. This neighboring land honored women for they were the life giver; the citizens fought only to protect their homeland and protect their master both in and out of the city, even women were part of the army and were often the best fighters. However, Prince Drako-nof was different. His desire was to be a great conqueror, and he believed that he must rule a greater and larger kingdom to fill his dream. Hora, of course, granted his wish, as it would work towards her own goal. Surveying the border, she led the prince and his caravan further north, to the hand of the enemy, Manak.

The prince craved for glory, so Hora brought them closer to the enemy's land crossing the great river that separated the region. Venturing deeper into the mountain filled with gem and ore, this is the true beginning of the time keeper's story - the story behind her sinful title; _unforgivable_ – which all started when she met the breathtaking blonde woman who pointed a sharp dagger to her throat. She had one short braid on her side face and a loose curl hanging down over her shoulder with the dark ocean eyes. The gray goddess stared directly in that deep blue gaze, but before she could slip out a word, Hora lost her senses from a hard strike to her skull. Later, the groups from Wekan including the gray woman were chained in a cold dungeon except for the prince. Drako-nof was kept in a castle chamber as a hostage to bargain with, for Wekan to become a colony under Manak. King Kanis of Manak got greedier when he was older, as Hora predicted, so she didn't wait for any white knight rescuer; she used her magic to send the news to the king of Wekan.

One month later, the army of the prince's father attacked the frontier of Manak with an unbelievable strength. Though Manak was a land of minerals and full of iron and weaponry, they are not a true fighting community; they see themselves as governors, merchants, and miners. Soon, the army reached to the heart of the kingdom, and King Kanis, the great ruler of city reluctantly offered Wekan his first daughter, Dawnae, to marry with the crown prince. With this, the two kingdoms shall be united. The engagement was made, and the marriage to occur a year after. As an assurance, King Kanis sent his second daughter, Renae, to live in the foreign land while Drako-nof was able to travel between the two cities as he wished. Hora returned to Wekan as a king's guard, in the form of an ordinary female protector who secured her job in the palace with a bit of magic over the royal captain, continuing to suffer donning a mortal disguise until her plan could be finished. A month after that, Hora met the blonde woman again, but under better circumstances. She walked into the royal hall in an exquisite long dark aquamarine dress similar to her ocean eyes. The blonde let all of her hair down, a bit curly, and a stylish short braid fell on the side of her side face again. The time keeper, who stood next to the king in her royal uniform, furrowed her brows in deep thought.

"_The second daughter of King Kanis and Queen Aliar of Manak – land of mineral, the silver rose of the kingdom, Princess Renae." _

The chamberlain's announcement ended as that crystal gray met deep blue gaze. From that moment, the goddess knew well in her heart that this new beginning wasn't just only for Oz anymore, and she had to watch every step she took if she didn't want to be another immortal who fell into the curse that could rip herself apart – she had to prevent any complication, _Stay away from the princess…how hard could that be…for the goddess like me._

(-)

Princess Renae was an architect, an artist who willingly traveled to the border just to find new inspiration. The 'silver rose' of the land who was fond of her dagger was also the first _female_ architect in Manak – specializing in cabin design and seemingly born with a gift of skill in her profession. The princess disappeared from the view of the court so often that the king decided to send Hora to be with her all the time as her minder. When Hora received the order; the aquamarine princess had gone away again, so the goddess sighed out in bored, frustrated manner, and closed her eyes to visualize the gorgeous princess who was so alive with a powerful soul. Hora 'saw' the bright light in Renae's mind, and it made her smile before a snap of slender fingers brought her to the Princess's hiding place. Hora found that she appeared in the cluttered part of the garden at the back of the palace; not far away, the princess painted some of the unruly plants on fine paper. She possessed a great beauty and grace of intellect, every action she did seemed perfect. Hora noted these observations before she voiced her greeting to the petite artist.

"Here you are, princess, painting some _messy_ weed in the _tidy garden._" Hora spoke with her usual sweet tone, smiling in a teasing manner. The princess whipped her head around to look at the invader. She tilted her head just a little then continued her work without any answer. Hora chewed her tongue; no one in this world denied speaking with her before. Even though she disguised herself as a mortal royal guard, people could always feel her power subconsciously, and responded in a proper manner- not this woman obviously.

"Please call me Hora, by order of the King, I'm your personal protector from now on." Hora informed gently.

"Protection by enemy hands in enemy land. Oh…how logical the people of Wekan are…" Renae said plainly, her dark eyes didn't move from her drawing.

"I'm nobody's enemy, princess, I just complete my duty." Hora smiled and spoke back

"Then what is your duty? _My personal protector_"

"…to keep some important thing safe, I guess."

"Nothing's more important than keeping yourself alive, so you better keep your word from me." Renae said and turned her head to glare directly at her.

"You're right, princess, I should keep my time and word." Hora laughed and answered.

"Do it; it's an easy task, better than keeping thousands of subjects from starving and death." Renae said softly but with underlying fierceness; she pushed the brush harder than intended.

Sensing her frustration, Hora looked at Renae with serious eyes and stated, "One day you will be a great ruler, princess."

"I want to be a great person, not great ruler or great lover like my sister. Prince Drako-nof…what good Dawnae sees in him I do not know, how could she love him so quickly." Renae spoke bitterly.

"Isn't it good? Two kingdoms united with such a bond - love." Hora asked slowly

"Your prince will destroy my land from the inside. I can feel it! I'm an architect; I know what will happen when there are termites in the main post."

"Princess, please calm yourself. Legally, I could kill you because of your harsh accusations towards the prince." Hora teased the blonde with her angelic voice.

"My personal protector becomes my personal killer, see? I wasn't wrong about this city's logic." Renae turned and smirked back.

In the untidy garden, the time keeper and the silver rose became closer. Time flew and politics gripped Renae harder, so to help calm her, Hora used magic to clear the deeper part of the garden and ornamented a small zone with roses and low bushes. She magically grew grass and trees around her secret place and cast a hiding spell allowing only for her and Renae to enter. The following day, when Renae carried her drawing equipment to the same spot and found Hora appeared in front of her from nowhere to block the view. She screamed and hit the goddess with her easel and paper scroll before Hora finally dragged her to see this little surprise.

"How did you do that!? There's no bush around here to hide in!" Renae exclaimed, standing far back as she could in the small secret place.

"I'm sorry, Rae!. I…I…uh…ahhhhhhh…I was afraid that you will see this place first, so I just…just…jumped out very very fast". Hora tried to give an impossible excuse in a high voice, realizing she may have exposed her true nature.

"Jump out from WHERE?" Renae shouted in panic and stepped back further.

"Not just jump, I ran too. Ran and jump and then…jump again. I guess you didn't fast enough to see me run, jump, and jump." _What? This is stupid, I sound stupid… _The goddess screamed in her head. She couldn't reveal her true identity, and with the dark blue eyes squinting at her in allegation, Hora wouldn't take a risk; a little memory shift spell should work. The gray woman suddenly appeared in front of the princess again waving her hand on her face. Renae stopped and blinked a few times before looking up. Hora stepped closer and took soft hands in her then the sweetest tone Hora's ever said to anyone was spoken.

"Surprise…my princess, let this be the first gift from this city."

Although in a bit of confusion, Renae looked around with an awestruck face. It's her dream to be in a place like this – a place where she could be herself, be an ordinary artist that the princess couldn't be. "I've never known this corner of the royal garden existed!"

"Well…I put away my uniform and decided to mow the grass instead, growing flowers too." Hora smiled and teasingly answered, but Renae didn't give her a reply. She just stood in the middle and let her tears fall. She missed her home and definitely was afraid that she wouldn't have a chance to go back. There was too much politics, too much possibility of the unknown. So the goddess, who knew what was in her mind better than anyone, walked closer and spoke in a firm voice.

"Everything will be better, and no matter what will happen in the future, you will beat it." Renae smiled softly and cupped her face staring into gray eyes.

"Can you…change from '_You_' into '_We´? _Renae said in hesitation, averted her eyes just a little. Hora let out a laugh and smiled at the red brush on her beautiful face.

"Are you flirting with me, Princess?"

"I am not… don't be so proud of yourself. _I _will beat it alone then, end of discussion_._" Renae huffed out, but Hora caught her and dragged the smaller blonde into her arms.

"No, Rae…_We_ will beat it. You have my promise, and it shall be done." Hora said in a serious manner, and the princess surprised her by bringing their lips together. For the goddess, the first promise in her existence was made along with the first love and first kiss. After that kiss, the feelings grew more and more; the best and only happiness Renae could achieve in the enemy lair was from Hora. The keeper kept her safe from every hidden devil in the palace and kept her warm both day and night; both in heart and body until a twist of fate occurred that not even the goddess foresaw - the day Melena, the goddess of elements arrived at Manak and turned everything upside down.

(-)

Millions of sparkling stars appeared when Glinda opened her eyes. She lay down on a colorful large woven mat placed on deep green grass. Candles stood around the small area, giving it a soft yellow gleam, and finely crafted silver lanterns hung down from some of the surrounding trees. A small table accompanied with fine chairs, made from the same material as the lantern, was hidden in a tree's shadow; only half of the ensemble could be seen. Glinda flicked her wrist and a little light ball floated in the shadow. Hora sat on the chair just as Glinda predicted she would be near, and she turned her head away once the light touched it. In Glinda's mind, it's like falling into a dream, into a tale of the goddess and the princess, but she's not a listener or a player. She's the observer who witnessed everything as if a ghost in the scene. She could not deny what she had seen or felt. _Oh Oz. _Glinda _was_ Princess Renae, whose appearance looked rather like her except deep ocean eyes. The paramount explanation of their unexplainable draw to each other was that they used to be together in some previous life. _How the hell is she going to tell Elphaba about this? Well…she might be familiar with unusual things already._ While Glinda was thinking of a way to deal with her realization, Hora walked slowly to sit beside her and waved her hand in the air.

"You remember this place, right?" She asked in her usual sweet tone.

"I think I am…It's…uh…'our' secret place, so we're out of Oz? Uh…in the old royal garden or something?" Glinda hesitated to speak out.

"We're out of the _modern _Oz, yes, but in the very deep forest. That happened many centuries ago. Nothing left to get any proof of that story except this. My husband protected it for me by stopping the time, only in this area. We were just friends back then, but he was always fond of my beauty and who I am. I've never come back again after the day he first showed me, until this day." Hora answered slowly, playing with her left braid.

"So…You disguised to be human and stayed with me?" Glinda asked softly

"We…yes, till your last breath, just that…we didn't have a happily ever after for some reason.

"What is that reason?" Glinda asked again starting to change into serious mode.

"I don't think we should continue this bed time story."

"Why?"

"Because what you know, Renae will know. You are _Glinda_, but I believe some small part of you is still _her._"

"So, you have a secret with the princess then."

"Don't, please, don't start, my purpose that I drag you into this is because I want to help Elphaba now! One of you must be bound to my deals and terms so I can tell you the secret of the world; in this case, it's _how_ your beloved Oz was created, and now the green girl will get my explanation about 'us' through you. I…I have to watch my past again just for you two! What else do you want Glinda!?" Hora shouted, and it's like she's going to cry at any moment. Glinda stared into the gray eyes with a surprised face. _One night, just for one short story is what Hora planned for them. _She sat in silence until Glinda turned and laced her fingers with the goddess's. Glinda looked at Hora, now revealed to be a lover of so many centuries ago, and the warm feelings in her heart stirred up again, even stronger than before - so strong that she felt a pain in her heart. What's strange was that it's too deep to actually feel, but also too explicit to feel too.

"Hora, I think Renae would want to know what you've hidden from her because I felt a terrible pain in my heart; the same pain when Elphie refused to open up to me." Glinda spoke gently before moved closer to take another hand in hers.

"You said to me once that _"Let her love you like you love her, let her in" _so why don't you let Renae in, my time keeper?" Glinda soothed Hora slowly wanting to help the goddess in some way.

"Because she will _hate _me. " Hora replied in whispering voice.

"She won't. If the princess and I are sharing the same soul, she won't hate whom she loves that easily. I trust Elphaba in everything she chooses to do. Renae, of course, trusted you too, but if Elphaba keeps things that I should know away from me, that will be the first reason why I hate her, so now when you have my thoughts on love and hate, you better continue the story." Glinda squeezed the soft hands and smiled at her while Hora stared at the ground to make a decision. Finally, she jerked her head up with a brighter face before a yellow flash was appeared in the air for the second time of the night.

(-)

The goddess of elements, named Melena…known to Hora as her best friend who was often fond of the mortal human race, came down with a great personal determination to make a world into a better place for them. _Magic_ arrived with her, and she chose who she thought to be a suitable mortal to accept her gift. She believed the gift would bring wealth and development wherever it touched. But there is a catch. _This power belongs to gods only. _Melena is too credulous to see through the mask of kindness that men and women grabbed from their collection to wear in a society based on artifice, so when she reached the royal hall of Manak she offered the elemental power to the crown princess, Dawnae. The world changed forever; destiny spun in a way that all divine beings sensed yet no gods could restrain. The god of time stood from his scripture. The time keeper rose from the princess's embrace. The moment that Dawnae truly became the powerful golden dawn of Manak, fate turned Hora's task into the battle between _heart and_ _duty._

When such great power lay in the hand of the mortal Dawnae, anything could happen, and a lover's quarrel was the trigger that brought disaster to the kingdom. One night, Dawnae's anger was too strong that her gift of magic burst forth and accidentally blinded her fiancé. Drako-nof lost one eye and his face decorated with a deep ugly scar. With this unfortunate event, the silver rose was thrown into the deep dungeon, her assurance of safety now broken by her sister's action. Now, she truly became a hostage, instead of just a political pawn. Even Hora, 'goddess of new beginnings', did not know were to begin to balance her love and duty. She stayed by her side, now acting as her prison guard, trying to figure out the best course of action. Not even a week later, the heartbreaking news arrived – _the crown princess of Manak was assassinated._ Her magic had only caused fear, not progress, and rebels from Manak snuffed out her life before she could be crowned their queen. Hora froze in front of the damp prison, never once before had she felt the ridiculous feelings named 'fear', but now it cruelly attacked her heart. A short time later the princess walked out from the cell as the new crown princess of Manak, the replaced fiancé…for she would take her sister's place in the arranged marriage to protect her homeland, and it's like Hora's soul shattered into million pieces for she foresaw the upcoming reign of her lover. _Renae would be the one to bring the golden era, the era that must fall. _With that realization, the goddess collapsed to her knees. Renae would do anything to protect the kingdom, protecting from whom? - from her own lover if she saw a threat. What would she become when the silver rose sat on the throne? _Betrayer_…_Back stabber; _these would become the definition of Hora, the goddess whose job was to create history. How horrible her immortal life would be when she's the person who's behind all the plague, war, or whatever incident that could lead to the end of this land. Every drop of poison or every sword pointing at Renae would be from Hora's action. Her heart ached and she balled her fists in anger, but in the moment she closed her hand tight, she heard the sound of crumpled paper, a magic note sent to her. The small piece of old paper was marked with sharp masculine handwriting:

"Loving mortals might be a curse for us, still, what kind of Keeper or Goddess would you be if you give up so easily like this?"

This message from the time god, who was always waiting for her to look at him, made her stand up and wipe away her tears. She would find a way to drag Renae out of this although she knew the princess too well that the result was obviously shown in Hora's mind.

(-)

A week before the wedding day, Hora tried her best to convince the crown princess to accept her escape plan: faking death, running away with subjects who wished to avoid war, or running away with her or whatever plan that ran into her head. Renae refused all of it as Hora's fear. Still, Hora didn't give up on persuading until Renae shouted at her, "You should learn to respect your lover's decision!" and stopped talking to Hora. Thus, Hora bitterly accepted her defeat and looked into future possibilities instead. There would be no happiness, smile, or any painting that she loved so much anymore for she would now spend every breath seeking to eliminate all enemies and dangers, and soon Hora understood why Renae would tentatively be successful in protecting the kingdom if the Gods did not get involved. _Hora, herself, loved her too much to ruin everything. _Only one option left…to prevent every possibility, the choice that made her lay on her side and cry her heart out in the secret garden that started this curse. Two days before the ceremony, Hora walked into Renae's chamber. She sat on the bed beside her and watched her sleep. Renae was so worn-out from the wedding preparation. Everyone's fussy around her all day, and she got sick of Drako-nof touching her body every chance he had. In one instance, Hora secretly used her magic to pull his legs out from under him on the long stair that lead to the oath platform, which made him roughly crash down and kiss the floor. Such an 'unfortunate accident' bloodied his face, much to Hora's satisfaction.

She wished to hold the petite blonde, but Renae was ignoring her and didn't give her any such permission since their heated argument. Hora turned her head to stare at the door and let her tears stream down. She hated her tears because she couldn't stop sudden tears for the last few weeks – they didn't stop falling every time she thought of the blonde. Unexpectedly, the soft hand lifted up to caress Hora's face and dragged her down to lie beside her. Renae gently tugged the goddess in and hugged her close.

"I'm sorry my love. Please, don't cry. " Renae whispered and moved up to kiss her sweetly.

"Please…please get away from here with me." Hora held the blonde tight still crying

"Oh, not this again! Why?...you're not going to stop, aren't you?" Renae withdrew from their embrace, brows furrowed.

"Because there will be no future for you here! Well, there is…but it's not a nice one, not a…a happy one! Rae, this isn't an insult or anything, but your kingdom will fall, no matter how hard you're trying to protect. Someone will be there to burn it down!" Hora shot up and took the small shoulders in her hands.

"My kingdom _will _fall? Oh, yes! Thanks for your smart political view. It really helps me through all this mess. YOU should be the one who encourage me, hold me and…and say that 'everything will be alright' to me…to ME! But all you said is that there'll be no future for my people and my land. Are you clairvoyant or something? Are you some god who's behind the word called 'destiny', sent to ruin me? Why? Why do you turn against me!?" Renae asked in quivering voice stepping back from the bed. It's like someone stitched Hora's lips together with an invisible string, for she couldn't answer any of those heartbreaking questions.

"These days, I miss you so much…I'm alone and always will be if you're gone. I…Why, my love? I sacrifice my personal life for thousands of people…for loyalty and realm. You should be proud of me, shouldn't you?" Renae said with tears falling down. Her dark blue eyes pleaded for any response from the goddess, but Hora still stayed in silence and slowly kneeled down in front of the crown princess.

"Maybe…because I'm so proud of you. I'm so loyal to you…that I'm begging you to get away from this. 'We'll beat it together', I promised to you once, but I can't explain more than asking you to trust me. I can't…and…and if…if you choose to deny me, I guess…I can't change your mind anymore." Hora said in defeated tone looking at Renae in deep sorrow.

"It's my duty, Hora. I can't change my birth." Renae quietly replied, so the goddess let her tears drop to the floor and nodded her head. _It's my duty too._ There's so much explanation that she want to say, but she knew that they both were bound to their obligation – responsibilities woven into their existences. However, the goddess still hoped for a miracle for her mortal, one that even she could not create. Hora stood up, feeling hopeless, and sat on the bed giving her hand to Renae. She slowly took it and put herself on Hora's lap holding her tight.

"I don't understand. What is this all about?" Renae whispered on her chest

"I don't know…I don't know anything anymore." Hora whispered back and laid both of them on the mattress, cuddling the smaller girl and let sleep drag her away from the feared future, even if just for one short night.

The sun was waking up, a signal to the new day. Hora stood in the middle of the royal hall, meeting with every chief that was responsible for the wedding ceremony. She didn't summon them for a security issue as she had said to them but to fully use her powers in this one last day before the wedding. She erased everything involving Renae's schedule out of their heads and let them fuss with the groom instead. Then she took care of her love with breakfast in bed, followed by stolen kisses, a hot bath, pillow fighting, strolling through castle halls, and drawing together in their secret garden. Long into the night they watched shooting stars as they held each other close. It was a perfect moment; so perfect that Renae didn't care to hold back her voice when passion consumed her heart and body. They pretended that there would be no tomorrow and appreciated every second. This day, no one could take away their last freedom.

The crown princess cuddled close to her love the rest of the night, but the goddess sank into her thoughts and the future life of the blonde in her arms – the near future that she would be the one who decided the result. She could leave… she should leave. She could take the princess with her, come what may and hell to pay… But no, deep down she knew Renae would ask for freedom, a plea that Hora would cave to eventually, and return to her position. The oncoming storm… Hora could feel the weight of fate pressing down upon her like a supernatural fog. The precursors of war had already been set into motion thanks to the recent events and unrest, and fate commanded that this realm be doomed. Therefore, _Renae was doomed_. The finality of that thought might as well have been broken glass in Hora's heart. She could follow her original plan and sabotage the war, but she knew the invaders would do nothing but torture her Renae and make a show of it until she drew her last breath, for Hora had seen the lack of hearts in warring men. She couldn't let her love suffer so… Lost deep in this abyss of thought, Hora only noticed the passage of time when the light began to change. She hardened her breaking heart, like frost freezing over spider-webbed ice. The dawn could not warm her now that she knew what destiny required her to do. When orange light began to touch the horizon, Hora stared at its glory through the clear window holding Renae tight from behind. Renae always slept peacefully in this position and normally tilted back to give a morning kisses when the soft light hit her face. Hora slowly traced her hand over her chest and placed it over her heart. In her mind, she felt the sound of steady beats as if it's her own. Renae shifted to the right lying half of her body on Hora and laced her fingers to those on top of her heart. Hora hugged the blonde closer hiding her face in long curls before a dim yellow light glowed in her palm. Renae squeezed the glowing hand tighter starting to writhe away from the goddess, but Hora hugged her so close that she couldn't move any further. The heart of the silver rose beat slower, breath began to catch in her throat, and mouth grasped for air faster and faster; her beautiful face scrunched in pain. Hora's tears streamed silently down, her face a mask of indescribable feelings. The sound of heartbeats became quieter; her grip on their laced hands loosened, and the last beat came along with a breathless whisper _"Hora"; _then everything in the goddess's world entirely stopped with the last calling from her silver rose. The woman in her arms would sleep forever, at the hands of the woman that she loved to hold the most.

(-)

'Auspicious day, wedding day'…the thin servant woman sang walking through the great wooden door. The bride-to-be was still in bed. The goddess sat stiffly on the side of opened window, watching the curtain dancing in the wind.

"Hm…beg your pardon, Guardian Hora. It's time for her grace to get ready. May I pass?" The servant bowed in respect waiting for an answer, but Hora only stared out of the window with an emotionless face. Thus, the servant hesitantly walked pass and touched the crown princess's arm…nearly cold arm. She gently shook her body, from slow to fast, from fast to hard, but to no avail. The servant woman turned her head and shouted at the reactionless, _heartless?_ gray woman, then realized something was very different… very inhuman… about her. Eyes held an unfathomable depth, their grayness seemingly fluctuating, and her skin cast an unnatural aura. The mortal could only stop and stare. Hora, in her usual graceful nature, her uniform now replaced by a long black dress, finally turned to voice her goodbye to the beauty. The wind blew her words in the air – words that nobody knew, except the god of the wind and the speaker. There, she let her body fall backwards, falling away from her love, a fall witnessed by the poor servant who found that the princess's guardian's already gone with the wind…as if dust on the wind she forever disappeared. The mortals would find no body, no clothes, nothing on the ground beneath the princess's chamber. She was just gone, as if her falling was just a hallucination. The time keeper vanished in the air returning to the immortal's world. Since that heartless fate, even the god of time didn't truly know how many days and nights she's spent to keep her heart in pieces.

'_The princess was found in her favorite long gown, one that displayed her beauty and grace to the eyes of subject and challenger alike. Crown princess Renae would never ask for any pretentious wedding dress, showing her true self instead. Even in this last moment, she's still the precious aquamarine gem of her land with a fresh gray rose in her hands.' _

This was how people remembered the princess, found cold in elegant repose, as told from whispers in the kingdom and the fresh script in the dusty book of history. So began the end of the history of Manak. The goddess of 'new beginning' bitterly created its most twisted new chapter and finished her task by ensuring the fall of the kingdom – the woman she loved…the woman she _killed. _The heartfelt promise of the past torn to nothing but fibers in the wind. The servant witness spread different theories of what she had seen quickly became famous for her story and so rumors began. The mysterious death of the crown princess finally led to the superstitious explanation: it was the act of the gods through a curse from an enemy. A goddess came and stole her heart, and then her life. _The unforgivable goddess_, both mortal and immortal called her now, and Hora looked at her own reflection with hate and regret speaking to her imitation in the clear glass. All because of one simple magic act from the stupid human…No…No…the one goddess who gave it to them in the first place was to blame_. Melena, my 'friend'…I'll find you._

(-)

Breathless from her own memories, the goddess lay on her side, propped up on her left elbow, waiting for the blonde to wake up from the trance once more. Slowly…the beauty opened her eyes up, not to the light of the stars this time but to the familiar face on her right. _Dark ocean blue_ gazed into crystal gray along with the soft whisper_. _

"_Hora…oh, my traitor…"_

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**Oops! Melena?, hope you enjoy it! Let's share your review, Yah!**


	14. Chapter 14: Silver gray

**#Note Wicked is not mine. Sorry for late update, I'm quite busy with my study, still I promise to finish this story. **

***Thanks to Sara, my editor. Again and again, so glad you're with me.***

**\- Thanks to my reader! And I hope you enjoyed the chap as always. Please share your opinion and comments with us. It would be fun to talk to you –**

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Chapter 14: Silver gray

"_Hora__…__oh, my traitor__…"_

The goddess sprang up from her position immediately. Dark ocean eyes followed her every movement, harshly staring into the crystal gray ones, but the blonde didn't show any signs of sitting up. She still laid flat on the soft mat with a blank expression. Hora, bracing herself, could only stare back and swallowed a lump of sorrow in her throat. But in the moment she was going to finally speak and say the first word to her long past love, those ocean eyes had gone, leaving confused crystal blue to meet her gaze. Glinda quickly sat up and held her face in her hands, looking shocked; her mouth wide agape.

"Oh Lurline, you _killed_ me. You _killed me! Wait, _no, killed her! How could you do that to her!?" Glinda turned and admonished Hora fiercely. The goddess, who was still in shock from the flash of Renae's appearance, shut her lips tight.

"Oh my goodness…I feel like I'm going to breathe out fire and burn every piece of your gray self to ash! Forget what I said earlier; Renae WILL HATE you, end of discussion. I can feel her rage and…and disappointment? Oh, I feel like I'm going to cry somehow." Glinda said out loud.

Her inner turmoil made her breathe even harder, and the idea of blowing up the whole garden ran through her mind. Glinda moved further away from the goddess, and this distance made it feel like there was fresher air in her lungs, so she walked fully to the other side, staying as far as she could from Hora. The anger began to subside along with the uncomfortable feelings as the distance increased. It seemed that their closeness really affected the attack-like sensation of emotional overload. Hora fixed in her place watching Glinda walk back and forth. She never intended to let Glinda see that much of their story. The more Glinda knew, the more Renae showed through. Deep down, Renae was there in Glinda's existence; the first life of her soul which formed Glinda's personality. Hora's feelings and their bonds now dragged this deepest part of Glinda out. _No one could truly forget their first love_ let alone loving a goddess who unforgivably took away her life and kingdom. That type of grievance is never erased with time. Glinda stopped pacing at last and stood motionless under the moonshine. Her skin looked creamier and softer than usual, just like a beauty in a drawing Renae once painted.

"_Imagine, my love__…__what would it be like if lifeless girl in my portrait was actually alive under the moonlight.__" _

Renae's words echoed in Hora's mind, and it made her shoot up suddenly.

"Glinda! We need to talk." Hora called out.

"Alright, talk then, AH! No! Stay where you are. It hurts when we're close." Glinda commanded in stern voice.

"I'm sorry, really sorry for all of this, but if we want it to end, we must drag Renae out. I know you can feel her now. Let her consciousness in your soul take your body. Just for now. I believe that she'll vanish…forever, after she finishes her business with me." Hora explained hesitantly.

"Oh, so I'll just let you two have a wonderful reunion. Which I am _sure_ will go well… Then our bonds will be gone as you said? Just that? Really?" Glinda asked in a high voice as her brows shot up.

"I'm not sure either. _Tazia, the goddess of the unborn_, is the only one who can decide. Your situation concerns me, and the other gods know about it now, so I don't think Tazia will let this issue go without doing anything. It's my fault that Renae's conscious woke up inside of you, my fault that I left her with the unanswered question. Most of all, it's my disgrace that I couldn't keep time thriving for her when I could for the whole universe. I was bound to her, too much to let her continue to be a part of you – my master. Tazia has to separate you and Renae. She's my friend; I'm quite sure she'll do as I predicted."

"If she's your friend, why don't you just ask her?"

"Though we're divine, we have no right to mess with the cycle of life as _directly_ as I did. Loving a human is a curse for us because of this reason too, Glinda. When those who we love die, we don't know where are they going or who they are going to be in their next life. There are many twins and doppelgängers born in this world, so your appearance did not truly concern me. But when I carried you in that camp, like the way Renae used to jump on, I knew it was you; it's really you." Hora said and pleaded with tears brimming in her eyes. "I know this is preposterous, but please…trust me; just for this one night."

"Separating _us_…then what will happen to the princess?" Glinda straightened up, hugging her body with her arms. Hora's glistering eyes dimmed down while she was looking up to the stars, as if the answer was shown in their light and carved on their curve.

"Maybe allow her to form into another gentle soul or just wipe out her existence. As I said earlier, she might just be gone forever. I hope though…really hope that Tazia will give Renae a chance to live; a chance that I took away." Hora replied quietly, still begging for mercy to the millions of stars. Glinda stilled in her place thinking about many possibilities. The fire of anger in her heart had already subdued after a good measure of distance. Is this why she's so craved for acceptance from other people?...Because her first love was the one who denied her existence, stopped her heart on their shared bed, leaving an invisible scar in her soul? The blonde, nevertheless, felt deeply sorry for the goddess. The rage and hate from Renae's presence wasn't strong enough to rub off her judgment to Glinda's heart. Glinda could see that Hora, indeed, carried all the grief and heartache of centuries. _Those who die, just die, and leave the burden behind. _Glinda sighed quietly after a long silence, moving a few steps closer. There's nothing else she can do anyway.

"Well, I guess my only choice is to trust you and your goddess friend then. I can't be with Elphie when I am possessed by a want to jump in bed with other people, right?" Glinda said with a soft chuckle trying to lighten up the mood. Hora smiled brightly, both from happiness at the chance to see Renae again and from Glinda's open-mined attitude about this preposterous situation. She's thankful for Glinda's understanding.

"_Tazia_ won't let us down" Hora confirmed, trying to soothe worries before Glinda could voice them.

"You said she might be gone forever…and you are alright with that?" Glinda expressed her doubt softly. The blonde recalled the day she finally reunited with Elphaba two months ago; the day for which she would give everything to pause the world and stay only in that moment.

"This…is miracle, a gift I even dare not to accept – one short night with my princess…it's too good to be true." Hora stepped closer and carefully cupped the creamy cheek. "Glinda, I already lost her a long time ago."

The last part came with a heartbroken tear from the dull eye, and the words sank in her heart, and undoubtedly seeped into Renae's soul.

"What should I do then?" Glinda asked, slowly growing lost in the crystal gray eyes. The scent of fresh dew began to cloud her mind; light warmth drew her body in like the first time they kissed. Glinda's perception slipped away faster than ever when the goddess enveloped her with soft arms and gentle caress.

"Whatever you want…_with me_". Hora whispered huskily, letting herself go in the sensation of familiar curves and touch. Breath hitched in Glinda's throat, escaping as a throaty whimper while shutting her eyes tight. In one swift moment, the intensity of holding back burst out like a firework. Glinda grabbed the long gray hair and slammed her lips to her ex-lover's, roaming her neck and collarbone with a delicate hand. Hora responded eagerly pushing the blonde's back for more contact. Glinda abruptly broke the kiss and roughly threw them on the mat; the more they kissed, the lower they progressed. Both of them lost in lust. Passion led the goddess to the full blossom, as if a bee hunted for nectar. She's nearly there…mouth opened with a waiting tongue. So long the goddess lay at the bottom of her own abyss; soon, she'll be here by Hora's act of love – her silver rose. But then, fiercely, the blonde yanked her up for a brutal kiss followed by a shove on her chest, and the sound of merciless full force SMACK echoed around. _The aquamarine princess_ finally gave the goddess her first proper greeting.

(-)

Oh, how could silence scream this loud? Hora, still in a hovering position on top of the princess, was stunned by the sudden aggressive act, not that she didn't anticipate it. Nevertheless, the smack stole her sentiment away, and left her with only numbness. Sometimes Hora couldn't believe herself. How could she let the same woman strike her twice? – First on the day she met her centuries ago, in the head; the second, on the day she met her again after long centuries, ironically, in the face. Hora fixed in her place and slowly turned her face back, only to discover that the creamy hand was raising up to greet her with another strike; SMACK, another one on the same spot, even harder this time. In that speechless moment, the goddess tried to take a deep breath and hesitantly turned her head back again – this time, shut her eyes tight. She at last moved her head towards the blonde's face waiting for whatever she would do, but nothing came. Hence, she slowly opened one of her crystal gray eyes and then the other to meet with her lover's gaze. Hurting dark blue eyes looked up at her with tears streaming down. Her right hand lay still on the mat beside her soft ringlets, the other on her chest, right on top of her heart. It's a look of defeat that Hora's never seen from the princess before. With that, Hora's heart shattered in a million pieces, the heart she never knew could be torn apart even more. She quickly moved to her knees and pulled Renae into her arms holding her tighter than ever. The goddess cried her heart out and repeated '_I__'__m sorry__' _again and again to her a long time, they stayed like that, with Renae arms weakly hung to her sides and head buried in Hora's chest. The princess breathed in the familiar scent and sensed the familiar warmth she had long forgotten, until these few weeks that she blurrily felt it again. Slowly, she lifted her arms up and laced them around her killer's waist, hugging her back loosely. Renae has stopped crying and now let herself fall into the gray embrace.

"_I hate you.__" _Renae whispered quietly into Hora's chest. _"__Still__…__I miss you more, I miss you__…__so much.__" _and Hora laughed out in relief, along with her tears. She moved back to give a gentle kiss to Renae's temple and cupped her face softly staring into those dark eyes that she waited for.

"If those slaps mean you miss me, and the force of those slaps mean how much you miss me, I shall put my face in your palm forever then." Hora came back with her teasing manner again smiling brightly to her lover.

"Oh…how sweet of your tongue, my killer." Renae sarcastic replied. She pushed Hora down climbing up to be the dominant one.

"Like smooth honey, it's ready for you to ascertain." Hora said in amusement eyeing the soft natural pink lips.

"I'll bite it off after I get my evidence." Renae said in throaty voice.

"If that is your wish…if that is how you'll forgive me, there's no complaint here." Hora said firmly reaching up to lightly caress Renae's cheek with the back of her hand. To Hora's surprise, the princess took that hand and kissed it gently before closing her eyes and leaned down to capture the thin lips in her own. They didn't deepen the kiss, but just appreciated the slow sweet moment that brought life to their secret garden once again.

(-)

The princess observed the surrounding environment and scanned her own body. Glinda's form was younger than the time she first met Hora, so it made her feel like becoming a girl again, the girl who didn't carry any burden or had to step up in her big sister's place. Shortly into this impossible reunion, to her surprise, Hora disappeared again in a blink of an eye after a five unacceptable words – "Wait here, just a minute" After her shocked brain processed the statement, the princess shouted in the air along with her dropping jaw.

"Don't you dare leaveing me here!"

Of course, the goddess didn't catch her reprimand. Renae didn't have a clue where she was going or doing, only that this abandonment indeed irritated her beyond belief. Both from sudden anger and fear, tears began to cloud her vision. _Why?_ It sounded ridiculous that she couldn't wait for 'just a minute' as Hora said. _Why does she have to wait here alone? _Renae started to cry again and buried her face in her hands. There's no reason to blame Hora for what had happened in their life; she keenly realized, still, deep down she couldn't deal with it. The fact that she killed her after their passionate bedding haunted her the most. _But love is forgiveness, isn__'__t it? _

The dropping sound of soft heavy material hit her ears. Renae looked up from her palms to face her lover; different sizes of gray and navy pillows stuffed in her arms, so high that it hid half of her face. Hora peered from behind the heap before she released them beside the princess. She quickly sat down and threw the big blue one to Renae's face trying to arrange the rest into a comfy wall around them. After she had finished, she laid on the more comfortable sitting place –an easy outdoor bed, the goddess smiled to herself. Hora grinned happily opening her arms wide apart, an invitation for her lover to jump in. Renae hugged the big pillow tight, in awe of Hora's arrangement.

"Oh please, I know you can remember our home objects, I'm sorry for leaving you, even 'just a minute'. You have forgiven me for that already anyway." Hora curled her lips up into a small smirk; still holding her arms widely. An adorable blush crept on the princess's soft cheeks. How confident she was to say that Renae indeed forgave for leaving her alone; the goddess must be enjoyed wandering in the blonde's mind. Thus, Renae slowly scooted into her arms and dropped onto the pile of soft pillows.

"How did you get all of these?" Renae asked quietly.

"I went back to your chambers and stole it from you. Well…from us if you counted me as your _roommate_ then." Hora replied amusingly turning to face the blonde beside her.

"You can just go back like that?" Renae chuckled playing with the gray braid.

"Yes, if it's not to affectchange to any events. '_Oh no! My love, our pillows are gone!__' _surely wouldn't made a section in any history book." Hora imitated her lover's voice and gesture in dramatic way to support her explanation. Renae let out a loud laugh, easily imagining her own reaction if it had happened. For hours, they looked up at the stars, talked about memories, and wept for their shattered dream. The gray goddess and her aquamarine princess shared a simple moment together until the moonlight began to wane and the chill from piercing night wind slowly retired from its duty. That's when the goddess held her lover tighter as if their closeness could also mend her heart.

"We're running out of time, aren't we?" Hora flinched from her lover's question, but reluctantly nodded her head in the crook of Renae's neck. It's the princess who held Hora close to her chest, and buried her gorgeous face into the gray locks.

"Hora, what would my life be…if I wasn't the crown princess?" Renae asked in wonder. Hora closed her eyes and lightly answered with a heavy heart.

"You would be in the group of refugees that travelled deeper to the inner part of Oz. You would be the first Ozian that created modern age, the first ruler, the first queen, the first reign and the first blood of the next in line Ozma. Your great great grandchildren would walk south and built the Emerald era. You were born to be a builder – a master in both the art of creation and culture; to be the one who created and maintained the spirit of the ancient glory via your new land. That twist of fate caused by one single act of magic changed everything and I thought I could convince you to disclaim the throne, but no…I couldn't change your goodness in your soul. That's who you are. That's why you were destined to be the first Ozian since the beginning. It's just in the wrong place and time. One second…and everything slipped from gods' hands. I'm sorry Rae, I'm really sorry." Renae listened to her fate silently before speaking softly.

"That's the life without you, wasn't it?" Hora smiled sadly while pressing her lips to Renae's neck.

"Without me as anything official, yet, I could be with you and help you raise your children." Hora teasingly replied.

"Oh, my guardian, my lover, my affair, and my killer; how important you were in my life." Renae smiled and moved lower to kiss Hora's nose.

"Not that I want you to engage with other man, but I couldn't interfere much more than I'd already had. Loving you was _off_ the plan." Hora laughed out thinking about their first conversation they shared in the cluttered garden. Renae placed her forehead to Hora's before she whispered the last question.

"My father and mother…did they suffer at their ends?"

"…No, they held the city for many years after losing you, so what tortured them most was the fact that they were the cause of their children' demise. They…Oh, I can see that you don't want to know how they died." Hora smiled apologetically caressing the blonde head.

"They've long gone. _I_'ve long gone. The sun's coming for you, not me." Renae's tear slowly fell down. She cuddled to her lover and laughed out bitterly.

"At least…I'm lucky enough to say goodbye." Renae smiled softly, and Hora didn't even pretend to be strong, letting herself cry openly.

"I love you." Through her gritted teeth, the goddess spoke in deep sorrow. An orange light was almost spilling out from the horizon, accompanied with the sun, her mother.

"My god…I love you." The aquamarine princess whispered to her lips and the sweet kiss done to fight the fate that ticked closer imprinted on their hearts. The dawn steeped into the hidden place of memories, the place that two women strode through the door of love and the goddess shed her tears. Morning light hit the top of the trees, and all familiarity in the was embrace gone; to somewhere and sometime that the time keeper couldn't reach.

Glinda slowly opened her crystal blue eyes to meet the heartbroken form of the goddess who was now holding herself and cried like there's no tomorrow. The blonde lay on her side and watched Hora for a while until she felt her own tears fall. She cried for her past life, for every minute they shared and for every moment taken away. Slowly, Glinda moved closer and gently took Hora in her arms rocking her back and forth. What else could she do when _the time keeper and the princess _was a tale that happened a long time ago. Maybe 'long ago' was the reason why it's a hearty lamentation now, for the time keeper would stay with her story forever, forever and ever.

(-)

On the pile of pillows, a soft shake brought Glinda's back around. Hora found that the blonde fell into a heavy sleep after the short consolation from her. It was quite a tiring night, so Hora let her master drift into her dream for about an hour, although their lateness might push off Elphaba's patience a bit. She's breaking the deal to give Glinda a little rest. Hora has to make up to them in some way. Glinda sat up in dizziness and turned to look at Hora with half-opened eyelids and slightly opened mouth.

"We should go back to Elphaba, my master. We're late now." Hora informed formally as if the past night's never happened.

"No nede to caaall mw yor msterl, pless" Glinda ducked her head into the soft pillow again and mumbled.

"Alright, no need to call you my master. Are you always like this in the early morning Glinda?" Hora chuckled shooting one brow up.

"Not, if I get enough sleep. Do you just say late? Uh…or mate?" Glinda slowly rubbed her eyes to chase away sleepiness and asked the goddess.

"Glinda, we're 'late'. We're not 'mate', Elphaba's that, and she is waiting for you now." Hora laughed lovingly helping the blonde up on her feet, but Glinda grabbed her hand before she could bring them back to the cottage.

"I need to ask you something before we go back to Elphie." Glinda, though she looked exhausted, said in serious tone as her eyes almost returned to an awakened state.

"I remember the name of the goddess who accidentally ruined Renae's life. 'Melena' is Elphaba's mother's name; Melena, Thropp second descending. They have nothing to do with each other, right? I know it sounds stupid, but I just want to make sure that it's only a duplicate name." Glinda asked with furrowed brows. _Elphaba is powerful and carries one of the strongest elements. _She's different, not to mention her green skin. Glinda thought about this since the moment she heard the goddess's name, and she was terrified that her doubt would become true. What would Elphaba feel if her mother was immortal…but…still _abandoned _her?

"Elphaba possesses a great quality, special abilities that normal people never ever have a chance to parallel, and that…Glinda…was the reason why she could resist my power. I _can__'__t_ read other gods' mind, so I'm afraid I have to say 'yes', Melena, the goddess of element is her mother – **Elphaba could be called as a demi-god.**

(-)

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To my reader - Oops, things get more complicated. lol I hope you like this chap. Pls leave any comments! I love your feedback!


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